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ZEPHYRS FROM ITALY AND SICILY. 



: 




NAPOLEON AT T 



Y/DE PACE— 2 (74- 



ZEPHYRS 



ITALY AND SICILY. 



BY 



WILLIAM M. GOULD 




NEW-YORK : 
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 



200 BROADWAY. 
M.DCCC.LII. 



I 







-'. ...... 



1 ^ - -J 



I 



Ufc 



NAPOLEON AT THE SANGUINARY BATTLE ON THE BHIDCE OF LODI. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S52, by 

D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New- York. 






<= 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

CHAPTER I. 
Sketch of a Voyage to the Mediterranean, - - 13 

CHAPTER II. 
Marseilles, -------19 

CHAPTER III. 

Marseilles, -_____- £4 

CHAPTER IV. 
Voyage to Sicily, ------ 28 

CHAPTER V. 
Palermo, -------- 32 

CHAPTER VI. 
Palermo, --------36 

CHAPTER VII. 

Palermo, --------40 



10 CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTEE VIII. 
The Churches of Palermo, ----- 44 

CHAPTEE IX. 
The Environs of Palermo, ----- 49 

CHAPTEE X. 
The Bay and Marina of Palermo, 54 

CHAPTEE XL 
The Flora of Palermo, ----- 58 

CHAPTEE XII. 
Messina— Mount Etna — Catania— Syracuse — Gergenti — Sicily, 63 

CHAPTEE XIII. 
Naples, --------73 

CHAPTEE XIV. 
The Peasantry of PoMPEn, - - 76 

CHAPTEE XV. 
Environs of Naples — the Scenery of La Cava, 79 

CHAPTEE XVI. 
Environs of Naples — La Cava — Incidental Observations, - 83 

CHAPTEE XVII. 
Pisa, _---____ 92 

CHAPTEE XVIII. 
Carrara — Sarzana — Spezl\, _____ 10O 



CONTENTS. 11 

PAGE 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Elba, -------- 107 

CHAPTER XX. 
Visits to the Italian Battle Fields of Napoleon — Marengo, 115 

CHAPTER XXI. 
Asti, --------129 

CHAPTER XXII. 
Turin, -------- 137 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
Ivrea, Piedmont, ______ 14.9 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
Aosta, Peedmont, - - - - -155 

CHAPTER XXV. 
Milan, -------- 168 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
Megan, ________ 180 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
The Monuments and Cathedral of Milan, - 193 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 
The Bridge of Lodi, ---___ 204 

CHAPTER XXIX. 
Brescia, Lombardy, - - - - - -213 



12 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTEE XXX. 



Mantua, 



225 



CHAPTEE XXXI. 



Verona, 



239 



CHAPTEE XXXII. 
Padua, -__-____ 247 



Venice, 



CHAPTEE XXXIII. 



254 



CHAPTEE XXXIV. 



Venice, 



Venice, 



The Ceoss, 



CHAPTEE XXXV. 



CHAPTEE XXXVI. 



CHAPTEE XXXVII. 



Paris, 



264 



277 



290 



304 



CHAPTEE XXXVIII. 
The Field of Waterloo, 



318 



ZEPHYRS FROM ITALY AND SICILY, 



CHAPTER I. 

Itoj) of a ajoijage to §i Uttitmmm. 

Maeseilles, France, Nov. 21, 1846. 

On the 3d of October, the "Prince de Joinville," one of 
the most beautiful vessels that compose the Mediterranean 
line of packets, departed from the harbor of New- York, 
destined for this ancient haven. As the Narrows were ap- 
proached, her " steam-consort," embarking the friends of the 
voyagers, soon separated from her, to return with them to 
the city. 

, Again, again, and again did the welkin echo with the 
farewell salutation of the retiring steamer, and as the words, 
"May God speed you on your journey," arose from her 
friendly deck, the responsive acclamations of passengers and 
sailors ascended from our majestic vessel like the sound of 
strong trumpets upon the waters. 

The beauty of the day, the animation of the ship, and the 
1 



14 SKETCH OF A VOYAGE 

an prospects of the future, imparted an interest to the occa- 
sion that would rival the incidents of an age. 

The following day was the Sabbath, and never did the 
sun appear to shine more gloriously upon his favorite realm ; 
magnificence and splendor seemed to revel in the horizon; 
and to heighten still more the grandeur of the spectacle, a 
noble ship soon burst upon our view ; she proved to be the 
" Arcole," from the shores of France, pressing with all her 
studding canvas for America's commercial haven. From her 
gaff waved the " banner of the free," pure and beautiful as a 
virgin's robe, glistening with silver light, and radiant with the 
smiling effulgence of heaven upon its stars f 

Upon her prow stood the warlike figure of Napoleon, his 
left hand grasping the standard of the Republic, and his right 
pointing out to his soldiers the road to victory ! The military 
associations of the hero were revived afresh, and in memory 
we returned to Arcole's field, and lived with him once more 
in other years, when smiling Fortune owned her chief, and 
crowned him as her favorite son ! 

For several days following, calms and light winds pre- 
vailed, and the slow progress of the ship occasioned much 
impatience upon the quarter-deck ; our captain (Lawrence), a 
very worthy officer, with commendable propriety, uttered an 
Italian proverb for the consolation of the passengers, "He 
that goes slow, goes sure ; and he that goes sure, goes a 
long way." 

The ocean, however, at last became weary of repose, and 
lifting its everlasting voice, began to roar with the lion-tone 
of power : wherever the eye turned, nothing was visible but 



i 



TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. 15 

storm and tempest ; all the terrors of wind, rain, bail, thunder 
and lightning, had burst with unrestrained fury upon the 
deep ; day after day did the ship toil, contend, and struggle 
with the powers that marshalled their strength around her. 
She sped like a wild horse o'er ocean's hill, and then amid 
the foaming valleys plunged with a violence and gran- 
deur that recalled the poem of "Mazeppa" vividly to my 
imagination. 

In the course of a few days the gale subsided, and the 
Western Islands were discerned ; during the evening, my at- 
tention was invited by the mate to the change in the sweet- 
ness of the atmosphere : it was truly refreshing to inhale the 
breezy odors fresh from Azores' woods and fruitful groves ! 

When the day dawned, two of the group, Corvo and 
Flores, appeared, with their dark blue summits, and seemed 
like modest gems, reposing upon the ocean's breast. 

The sunset was transcendently beautiful ; all the gorgeous 
colors of creation clustered around the retiring god. The 
firmament became a magnificent pavilion, in which was re- 
vealed the glory of Him who spake the world from chaos. 

The 25th of October was Sunday, and a calm at sea ; 
beams of cloudy sunshine, with mists and rain ; the day re- 
minded me of a quiet land Sabbath — the waves, winds, and 
clouds at rest ; nature in repose, and breathing her pure de- 
votions to her God ! 

On the 27th, exchanged colors with a French frigate 
her tri-color floated proudly in the breeze of the sunny 
ocean, while our ensign smiled with its gay hues on the 
friendly sail. 



16 SKETCH OF A VOYAGE 

The succeeding days, until the 31st, again brought a 
change of scene ; lowering skies, angry clouds, squalls of wind, 
and storms of rain in rapid succession — the ocean foam- 
ing, billows roaring, waves rolling, ship groaning, cold and 
wintry on deck, and cheerless below. 

On Sunday, the 1st of Nov., toward noon, the clouds dis- 
persed, and the sun smiled like a monarch upon a recovered 
realm ! The ocean returned to its allegiance, the clouds as- 
sumed their gorgeous robes, and, like courtiers, again repaired 
to attend upon their sovereign, and to surround him with 
glory and magnificence ; while the winds, those swift couriers 
of his court, gracefully waved their aerial pinions around his 
burning throne. Land-birds from classic shores hovered 
around our bark, and innocently chirped from rope to rope 
and sail to sail. One, more venturesome than the rest, 
alighted upon the verandah, and fed upon a few crumbs scat- 
tered for his acceptance. His confiding look and delicate 
plumage inspired us with pleasure, and we hailed it as hope's 
first harbinger from another cliine. The captain informed us 
that the coast in the dim vista was Mogadore. 

On Monday, the 2d of November, all was loveliness and 
sunshine. The peaceful sails of commerce picturesquely 
studded the azure horizon in every direction. Among them 
the lateen canvas of a felucca glistened like the broad, pure 
pinions of some noble bird of ocean. At 4 p. m. we began to 
enter the " Straits." On our right, lo ! Africa ! with her 
Tangier, her Cape Spartel, and her Ceuta ; on our left Europe, 
with her Cadiz, her Trafalgar, and her Gibraltar — names ever 



TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. 17 

memorable in the annals of time — names which for ever- 
lasting ages will fill the clarion trump of fame ! 

At 5^ p. m. the sun sank in the New World, while the 
full moon arose in silvery magnificence from the Old! 

At 3 a. m., 3d Nov., the colossal " lion-profile" outline of 
the famous fortress of Gibraltar was in sight; a profound 
silence filled the Straits, and reigned among the cloud -crowned 
mountain monarchs that from creation's birth had swayed 
their adamantine sceptres upon the banks of classic seas, and 
ruled the main. Upon the mountain base stood a friendly 
light-house. In the distance, close to Afric's torrid coast, 
loomed the " French war frigate," freshly pluming her snowy 
pinions for the shores of France. A gentle zephyr from the 
west began to breathe upon our canvas, while the powerful 
current, rolling in its strength, gave acceleration to our Orient 
progress. Soon the zephyr became a breeze, and wafted with 
full force every sail that spars and yards could bear. In our 
swift career we dimly discerned upon the cliff the shadowy 
habitations of the town. Soon we were in the broad " light- 
blue sea !" and this was the Mediterranean ! How different 
was the music of its waters from the loud swelling anthems of 
the dark, rude Atlantic ! They were softer, and more blithe 
.and gay — like the voice of the boy, compared with the full 
orotund tones of manhood ! During the day we sweetly 
passed along the shores of Spain, admiring her mountains, 
clothed with clouds, and wreathed with crowns of snow. 

Adieu ! adieu ! to the West : its ocean, upon which we 
had so long been sailing, was far away ; and farther still were 
we receding from its foam-raging billows. 



18 SKETCH OF A VOYAGE 

On the 12th of November we were in the vicinity of the 
Balearic Isles ; Ivica was visible, canopied with rosy drapery, 
and beautifully reclining upon her sea-blue couch. As the 
evening approached, the western horizon became clothed with 
a dark, solemn hue ; frowning clouds were there, and light- 
ning, and the rattling thunder, with its profound reverbera- 
tions. Gradually the storm advanced toward us ; a few rain- 
drops, like the " avant couriers" of an army, first fell upon our 
deck, and then the heavy clouds arrived and exhausted their 
watery torrents upon the sea. 

Passing along the picturesque coast of Spain, her former 
grandeur and power were remembered, and we sighed over 
her present humiliation in the council of nations. 

On the 1 9th, as the night advanced, a fierce gale arose, 
and raged with its violence and fury around us. 

On the 21st November the ship entered the Gulf of 
Lyons, and at sunset she was in the harbor of Marseilles. 

The passengers immediately disembarked in one of the 
numerous boats from the city, but they had not proceeded 
far when the captain sung out to the chief mate, "Avast 
heaving away on that capstan, and give three cheers to that 
boat." Instantly a swarm of woolly caps were waving in the 
air, and the huzzas of the tars, bold and grand as Niagara, 
aroused the shores and shook the hills of Gaul ! 

The voyage was over, and as I landed upon the banks of 
France and pressed her soil, I joyfully hailed her as the bene- 
factor of liberty, the ally of my country, and the friend of 
Washington ! 



CHAPTER II. 

Marseilles. 

In entering the port of Marseilles, the most striking feature 
which at first impresses the American observer is the rude 
and primitive aspect of the numerous boats that approach the 
vessel from the shore. They are all very roughly constructed, 
and display neither naval taste in their shape, nor even a good 
coat of paint upon their hulls. Their chief recommendation 
appears to consist in the strength and unusual dimensions of 
their timbers. Instead of the light, sylph-like appearance of 
the small boats which beautify the waters of America, they 
more closely resemble the heavy long-boat of a large ship. 
The pilot-boats are of the same description, with only a lateen 
sail and a jib. Upon the "lateena" the number of the boat 
and an anchor appear painted in black, and from this sail 
.vaves a small tri-colored pennoncelle. These little pilot-boats 
are without decks, and apparently without any accommoda- 
tions for the comfort of those employed in their management. 
But as they seldom go ou of the harbor, and usually board 
a vessel when she arrives at the port, they may safely be con- 
sidered amply qualified to answer the limited design they 
are intended to fulfil. 



20 MARSEILLES. 

Another feature cannot fail to attract observation, and 
that is the noise and confusion prevalent among the seamen ; 
officers and subordinates perpetually mingling their voices 
together, occasioning the most manifest embarrassment in the 
efficient execution of commands. But as this fault is prover- 
bially a national characteristic of the French marine, there 
appeal's to be no reasonable prospect of its abandonment. 

The dress usually worn by the seamen of the port con- 
sists of a coat and trowsers of very coarse brown woollen cloth, 
and a cap of a pudding-bag shape, of the same material ; the 
whole presenting a rather rustic appearance to the eye of one 
accustomed to the favorite " blue and white " of the Ameri- 
can tar. 

We were now moored in the busy haven of the mistress 
of the land-bound sea. Around us the colors of many nations 
were waving ; the various governments that border upon the 
Mediterranean and its tributary waters were fully represent- 
ed ; the powers of the North, the East, and the West, had 
sent their standards, and their ships, and youthful America 
had commissioned her sons to unfurl her starry ensign amid 
the congress of banners. 

To me the spectacle was one of extreme gratification, to 
behold the royal and imperial flags of the venerable dynasties 
of Emperors and Kings floating 'peacefully in the same breeze 
with the colors of the free — commerce identifying her inter- 
ests with the friendship of nations. 

What numerous changes had these ancient banners be- 
held in the fortunes of then respective countries ! Some had 
once waved over realms mighty and prosperous, but now dis- 



MAKSEILLES. 21 

traded and dismembered ; they had once streamed as the 
emblems of invincibility and greatness, and now floated only 
to awaken the remembrance of influence and power which 
had for ever passed away. 

What an interest clusters around the pennons of Greece 
and Spain ; climes where glory, enterprise, genius, and com- 
merce flourished ; where deeds were performed which are 
still the wonder and theme of universal admiration : countries 
whose annals will live coeval with the recollections of the 
past. 

Before me the flag of Grsecia fluttered in the wind, and 
upon the stern of the bark that bore it I read her name, and 
the characters of the inscription were those of the language 
of Homer ! Beyond her were anchored a few paintless and 
desolate feluccas, to attest that the commerce of spain still 
lived, and to serve as a mournful commentary upon the 
golden age of her former history. 

The noblest vessels in port were the " Arcole," and the 
" Prince de Joinville," built in New-York /or the packet trade. 
Their elegant proportions and effective equipments attracted 
the attention not only of nautical men, but of the citizens 
generally. The interest an^ admiration expressed in refer- 
ence to these noble vessels made me feel proud of my 
country. 

At Havre and Marseilles it is quite a common thing to 
meet with peasants and country gentlemen, who arrive daily 
from distant inland places expressly to see the famous Ameri- 
can packets. 

Owing to a partial failure in the French crops, and the 
1* 



9 9 



: lemand : . supplies tc meet the leSciency, the busi- 
ness ;i the place is this dme miusually extensive and 
thriving : Odessa, and the various ports npon the Black Sea, 
were pouring in their treasures of grain and wheat, while 
Ameri; was supplying large quantities of flour, and other 
nations continuing their usual shipments into the kingdom. 
The basin of Marseilles being quite limited in its 
could not afford accommodations for the reception of the 
es traordmary number of arrivals each day announced for 
: Recent arrivals — ere therefore detained at the 
"islands " near the : i~. Jitil departures from the port author- 
:iiers to enter and discharge.* From me telegraphic 
eminenee the eye could discern, sheltered among these 
islands, a Yery large fleet : vessels thus rained, and anx- 
iously awaiting a permit-: entei and lehVer their cargoes; 
their appearance in the custance resembling a leafless forest 
through which the wintry winds of the Gulf of Lyons were 
blowing and wkjgtlrng. and around which fcers were 

I smg their boisteroog waves. 

From earliest - n the quays of the pari : daily 

thronged with innumerable laborers and teams, indusr. i 
engaged in the transportation of its heavy imports into the 
interior, and hi .'. _ the various products of the country 

ition. Every thing that surrounded me wore s 
busm- :. and evinced that the energies of the people 

'. 

~T-i Government has Is rtracied a new basin for the 

accommodation of commerce, which from Ha capacity ■ BE 
Bios^ extensive k shipping-. 



MARSEILLES. 23 

The vessels in the basin of Marseilles being moored 
" head and stern," instead of parallel to the quay, the labor 
of lading and unlading is performed by lighters, and is at- 
tended with considerable delay and expense ; communication 
with the shipping is also effected by boats, and liable to simi- 
lar objections. The officers of the customs are all soldiers, 
and wear martial uniforms with side arms, and form a per- 
petual " cordon " around the wharves, inspecting every thing 
that is landed, from the diminutive packet or bundle to the 
freightage of a lighter. The vigilance manifested by the 
government, in this branch of its affairs, is veiy strict and 
effective. Provisions and bread-stuffs are liable to duty, 
which is tenaciously exacted, even upon the limited quantity 
of these staple articles consumed for the subsistence of the 
crews of the respective vessels while in port. To arrive at 
this as accurately as possible, an officer boards each vessel 
upon her arrival and takes an inventory of her stores, and 
when she clears, the duty is imposed upon the difference be- 
tween the quantity on hand and the original quantity when 
she reached the harbor, 



CHAPTER III. 

The celebrity and importance of Marseilles are aseribable to 
its commercial position as the Mediterranean mart of the 
French people. 

Its citizens are merchants, and all its relations are of a 
mercantile character. It has neither palaces, nor great tem- 
ples, nor treasuries of art, within its walls. Its strength, its 
power, and its influence, are allied and identified with trade. 
From this circumstance, very probably, visitors and tourists 
uniformly pass through it without tarrying to view the place, 
or even to mark the natural features which distinguish and 
give significance to it. Marseilles is surrounded by moun- 
tains : within, and upon them, the city rises in its amphithea- 
trical proportions, in the centre of which is the basin of the 
port, naiTow and oblong, reaching into the very heart of the 
town. Its shipping is therefore entirely circumvallated by, 
and embraced within, its protecting arms ; while at the en- 
trance of the port, ample battlements and frowning fortifica- 
tions guard its " naval forest" from hostile intrusions. 

On the south side of the city a beautiful avenue ascends, 
and leads to a mountain, which is to me the crowning glory 



MARSEILLES. 25 

of Marseilles, but which, I apprehend, is seldom favored 
with visits from the tourists of the continent ; the mountain is 
called the 

MONTAGNE BONAPARTE. 

As a position for observation, and a command of scenery, 
it will challenge, I presume, a comparison with any in the 
world. 

Here meditation may rear her thoughtful shrine, and 
memory spread her broad wings over the history of ages. 

A spacious winding path, richly bordered with verdure, 
conducts to the summit, where a lofty column, rising in lonely 
majesty, bears upon its Corinthian cap the bust of Bonaparte. 
Seats are provided around the monument, and also in the 
avenues, where the weary visitor may renew his strength, or 
muse upon the varied objects that appear in bold relief 
about him. 

It seemed as though History, Poetry, and the Monu- 
mental Arts, although ever emulous in the celebration of his 
achievements, had failed sufficiently to immortalize the noble 
soldier, and that Nature had offered mountains to bear his 
name, and support a column to his glory ! 

In the august presence of hills, heavens, and clouds, day 
by day have I lingered around the towering memorial of 
Napoleon, imbibing expansive conceptions of his genius, and 
imbuing my spirit with the memoiy of his greatness. While 
there, the music of the bands of France would salute my ear, 
and her marching warriors appear upon the plain below ; and 
then the waving banner of her army, the grandeur of her 



26 MAESEILLES. 

music, and the sublimity of her scenery, would fill my mind 
with rapture, and overwhelm me with admiration. 

In a place so replete with romantic and military associa- 
tions, again and again was I unconsciously transported to 
West Point, the glory of my beloved country, and the inspi- 
ration of America would overshadow me on the mountain. 

I felt as though I was surrounded by a diorama of glory. 
Reposing before me was the ancient city of Marseilles, with 
its time-worn walls and towers, full of imposing interest and 
memorable reminiscences. Two thousand years had indeed 
rolled away since its colonial foundations were laid, yet, amid 
the lapse of ages and the shock of arms, they still endured as 
the gray memorials of departed generations. 

At my side rolled the blue billows of the Gulf of Lyons, 
with its plumes of snowy foam, waving like the feathers of a 
marshalled army in full review. The adjacent hills were 
beautified with hamlets and villas, and upon their imperial 
brows were proudly displaying their cedar chaplets, while 
upon then noble breasts appeared the green robes that moun- 
tain sovereigns wear. 

As I gazed upon the spectacle from my elevated posi- 
tion, and reverted to the antiquity of the city, and reflected 
upon the numerous generations that had in succession occu- 
pied its venerable mansions, I could not avoid the utterance 
of an apostrophe. " The earth," I exclaimed, " like an aged 
mother, remains, but where are her children?" I paused 
not long for an answer ; — the epitajohs of surrounding ceme- 
teries declared that they had passed away, and been gathered 
again to her faithful bosom. 



MARSEILLES. 27 

For the moment, my mind was transiently clouded with 
the dark shadows of the grave ; but soon the sun of immor- 
tality arose, and with its beams of gold dispelled the gloom, 
and hope illumed the tomb. I felt assured that the earth- 
quake trump of judgment should summon the nations from 
their slumbers, and that the dead of Europe should live 
again. That old Ocean would roll its myriads to the shore, 
and Earth yield up the treasure of her tombs: Palestine, 
restoring her patriarchs and her prophets, France her Napo- 
leon, Mount Vernon her Washington, and Eome her Caesars. 

Full of grateful emotions for the sublime consolations that 
Inspiration gave in reference to the destiny of man, I bade 
adieu to the mount ; but the place, and its recollections, will 
live for ever among the valued things that memoiy will love 
to treasure. 



CHAPTER IV. 

On Monday the 4th of January, at noon, I bade Marseilles 
farewell, and proceeding on board of the American bark 
Rochelle, was soon under way for the port of Palermo. 

Of the many beautiful islands that gem the Mediterranean, 
Sicily had always held a transcendent preeminence in my 
estimation. The magnificence of her scenery, the fame of her 
sons and heroes, and the lofty annals of her history, had so 
warmed my youthful imagination, and inspired me with such 
a passionate admiration of her charms, that her very name was 
music to my soul. My imagination had chosen it as her 
Elysian Isle, and thither had she again and again repaired. 
She loved it as the favorite abode of the ancient Muse, where, 
gathered from the waves of Ocean and the climes of Orion, 
ideality had diffused her golden glories. 

With feelings so partial for the Sicilian Isle, I was impa- 
tient to reach her shores, and breathe the odor of her bloom- 
ing groves. 

Upon our departure, the breeze was favorable for a speedy 
voyage to our destination ; but what is there so capricious and 
inconstant as the wind ? Instead of an anticipated passage of 



VOYAGE TO SICILY. 29 

sixty hours, our bark for twenty-one days coursed the sea, 
alternately contending with the elements and reposing with 
the calm. 

With the limited degree of freedom which " life upon the 
ocean wave" allows, many are inclined to conclude that time 
passed upon the bosom of the waters must be monotonous and 
unprofitable ; but I apprehend that where a disposition exists 
to take advantage of such aids and materials as are incidental 
to the sea, even a voyage of long duration may be rendered 
subservient to beneficial account. 

For myself, I derived daily satisfaction in improving the 
leisure hours of the officers of the vessel, to confer with them 
in relation to navigation, the phenomena of the sea, the changes 
of the heavenly bodies, and the commercial regulations of the 
maritime powers of the globe. The accessible and communi- 
cative character of seamen is well known, and these excel- 
lent traits render their society at all times available and 
desirable. 

Connected with one of the noblest professions of life, and 
having the "world" in its most extensive signification for their 
sphere, the stupendous wonders and treasured accumulations 
of every clime are subject to their observation and command. 
The ocean, the heavens and the earth, are their study ; and 
they, as a class, are called to behold, in their marine career, 
all that is grand and sublime in creation. 

During the silent watches of the night, I always deemed 
it a high privilege to pace the deck with the officer in charge, 
and listen to the rehearsal of his experience of the sea ; to hear 
of naval perils and of stormy battles with the raging hosts on 



30 VOYAGE TO SICILY. 

ocean's foaming plains. Those pensive hours, so fraught with 
thought and identified with graphic impressions, can never 
lose their original interest, although rolling years may scatter 
their gray mists, like incense, around the dome of memory. 

The gales with which we were visited upon the voyage, 
served in some measure to diversify its character, and to divert 
the mind to a change in its train of reflections. On such 
occasions, when night had cast her sable mantle upon the sea, 
I loved to retire and listen to the tempest's husky voice, be 
rocked to slumber in the cradle of the deep, and with the star- 
gemmed ensign for my pillow, and my captain's storm coat 
for my comforter, " I slept well." 

On Sunday, the 1 7th of January, in the prosecution of our 
course, we were off the coast of Sardinia, and during the day 
passed one of its small islands, which bore the name of St. 
Antioco — admiring its bold, gray brows, its venerable crown, 
and imposing robes ; but on the following Sabbath we enjoyed 
a still higher gratification in beholding under our lee the green 
cliffs of Maratino, and beyond them the smiling shores of 
Sicily, the fairest isle that ever zephyr kissed or ocean 
bathed. 

During the day the bark advanced slowly toward the 
port ; an unusual serenity pervaded the sea and air : it was the 
reign of silence ; even the waves and the clouds appeared to 
pause in their course, and impart a sacred influence to the 
hallowed hours. 

On the ensuing morning, at early dawn, I was summoned 
to behold a prospect of surrounding grandeur. Every thing 
indeed appeared transcendently lovely, for we were verging 



VOYAGE TO SICILY. 31 

closely toward the shores of Sicily, and the very air, which 
lightly filled our sails, breathed of the velvet fields and orange 
groves in view. 

Poets and painters had in some measure prepared me for 
a revelation of magnificence, but, in the language of Sheba's 
queen, " the half had never been told," for the skies, the shores, 
the hills and the plains of the isle in view were those of a 
celestial creation. 

In the afternoon, a boat approached the ship, and offered 
a pilot, whose services the captain accepted. His boat was of 
a light and fairy form, evidently a stranger to the storms and 
tempests of a wintry coast. She was a welcoming " Ariel," 
and hailed us from a genial clime. 

Thus far we had perceived no indications of the busy 
metropolis of the island, save the numerous canoes of her 
fishermen noiselessly pursuing their humble calling, and her 
favorite fruits, which drifted around us like gold upon the 
sparkling sea. At length, upon passing Mount Pellegrino, we 
heard at first the distant music of her soldiers, succeeded by 
the discharge of musketiy, and anon the tolling bells of her 
dome-crowned temples. At sunset we were within the 
" mole," and the din of commerce, and the voices of a popu- 
lous emporium, burst upon us like the huzzas of an army. 

We were moored in Palermo, the capital of Sicily. 



CHAPTER V. 

The sanitaiy regulations of this port are of a very strict cha- 
racter, and very rigidly enforced. Vessels whose papers are 
in any respect informal are subjected to a quarantine. None 
of the numerous fishing skiffs, or even the pilots, are permitted 
to have any communication with the commerce arriving at 
the place. When the services of a pilot are accepted, he 
fastens the line of his boat to the vessel, and he issues his 
orders without boarding his charge. "When the ship has 
entered the harbor and is safely moored at the mole, the 
captain and all his crew and passengers are required to dis- 
embark in their boat and row to the " pratique-office," and 
pass the inspection of the health officer. This functionary 
occupies a small room in a fortified building, the windows of 
which are guarded with iron gratings : with the vessel's Bill 
of Health in his hand, he summons, in succession, the respec- 
tive parties whose names are thereon recorded, to appear 
before the window of his apartment and pass in review before 
him. After the examination, if satisfactory, the vessel is per- 
mitted to discharge, and the crew and passengers are privileged 
to enter the city. 



PALERMO, 33 

As soon as these formalities had been complied with, boats 
of every description began to surround the vessel — some laden 
with oranges, figs and lemons ; others with tobacco and segars ; 
others with confectionery and marine curiosities; and some 
with birds of every plumage. The venders of these things 
appeared to be quite " au fait " with a few English phrases, 
and were exceedingly importunate in endeavoring to effect 
sales. 

The birds pleased me most ; many of them sang charm- 
ingly, and the terms demanded were quite reasonable. 
The mate purchased two beautiful Canary songsters with a 
very ornamental cage for only a dollar and a half. 

The various ships in the harbor have supplied themselves 
with these innocent warblers, and the haven of Palermo is 
vocal with the melody of birds. 

The chief exportations of the place consist of fruits, which 
are packed in light boxes and delivered to the shipping in 
boats ; sumach, silk, barilla, canary seed, essences, liquorice, 
manna, maccaroni, nuts and almonds are also exported. The 
principal commerce is with the United States. Of the vessels 
in port, probably two-thirds are American, and many of them 
of a very heavy tonnage. Among them I noticed the " Dioge- 
nes," the " Manto," the " France" and the " Merchant," ships 
of 500 tons and upwards. From the 26th of October to March 
1, there have been fifty-seven American arrivals; and the 
amount of fruit exported by them is estimated at fifty thou- 
sand boxes of lemons, and one hundred and fifty thousand 
boxes of oranges ; being an aggregate of two hundred thou- 
sand boxes of Sicily fruit for the United States. The average 



34 PALERMO. 

cost per box, here, is probably about one dollar and fifty cents, 
and the freight thereon, fifty cents. The orange common to 
the island is, to the eye, of a very beautiful appearance, but its 
taste is uniformly of an acid character. There is, however, 
another species called the Mandarin or Chinese orange, which 
is very sweet and in high repute ; but as the cultivation of 
this is limited, it commands a high price. It will not bear 
exportatation, and is therefore only to be obtained and en- 
joyed here. 

The foreign imports of Palermo are very limited. The 
arrivals at the port are generally in ballast. The American 
vessels are from Marseilles, Leghorn, Trieste, Genoa, and other 
Mediterranean marts, and proceed hither to obtain a freight 
home. The domestic traffic of the island is rather extensive, 
and affords ample employment to its coasting marine. There 
are a number of American merchants in the place, some of 
whom have been established here many years, and enjoy a 
very honorable position in the estimation of the Sicilians. 
The business portion of the year is from October to April : 
the time embraced within those months is the season for the 
exportation of the fruitful productions of the island. 

Besides her other advantages, Sicily boasts the finest 
fisheries of the Mediterranean, and her fishermen constitute 
a very important portion of the population. As far as the eye 
can reach, their boats line the beach of the port, and the 
margin of the shore for miles is studded with their humble 
habitations. 

Their boats are of a very beautiful model, and reflect 
much credit upon the Palermese builders. In appearance 



PALEEMO. 35 

they bear some resemblance to an Indian canoe, and upon the 
sea present a very picturesque effect. 

The fishermen, in common with the laboring classes of the 
island, are without education, and inclined to credulity and 
superstition. They are partial to images and relics, and dis- 
figure the bows of their boats with rude sketches of priests, 
saints, virgins and crucifixes. 

The various operative and industrial orders have each a 
specific costume by which their respective pursuits may always 
be readily distinguished. Their difference in appearance and 
habits is quite remarkable, each occupation being an exclusive 
body of itself, suggesting the idea of so many separate 
" castes " in the community. 

The government of the city is purely military : detach- 
ments of soldiers attend all the theatres and resorts of amuse- 
ment, and sentinels are placed not only upon the stage, but in 
various parts of the house. At some of the churches, during 
the celebration of the mass, a military guard is in attendance, 
with their polished muskets bristling around the altar and at 
the portals — even when the " Host " is carried in state through 
the streets to the mansion of the dying, the guns and bayonets 
of soldiers appear amid the sacred banners, burning incense, 
and tinkling bells of the imposing pageant. 

In consequence of the high reputation of its climate, the 
city of Palermo is, during winter, the favorite resort of inva- 
lids from various portions of Europe and America for the 
recovery of health. 



CHAPTEE VI. 

During Holy Week, the attention of the city was entirely 
absorbed with religious ceremonies and sacred processions. 
On Thursday the churches were clothed in mourning, the 
altars brilliantly illuminated, and many of them tastefully 
adorned with choice flowers and palm-branches; while the 
portals of the temples were invitingly opened for the reception 
of the people. The various classes were thus for the entire 
day engaged in visitations : as soon as one church was visited 
they would repair to another, and another, until the tour of 
the city was accomplished. To an observer, the paramount 
object of the visitors was apparently to scrutinize the style 
and magnificence with which the altars of the respective 
sanctuaries were embellished, and to discover those which 
outshone the rest in artificial splendor. Good Friday was 
devoted to processions: the grand pageant of the occasion 
occurred in the afternoon ; and seldom have I seen a more 
general manifestation of interest in a public spectacle. Hav- 
ing seasonably secured a favorable position, I awaited the 
appearance of this pageant. The countless balconies of the 
" Toledo" were thronged with ladies, unveiled, and arrayed in 



PALERMO. 37 

festal apparel ; in attendance upon them were noblemen and 
patricians in black, with vests and gloves of snowy whiteness. 
The complexion of the ladies is olive, their hair and eyes are 
dark or black, and the general expression of their counte- 
nances inclined to a Moorish cast. In this soft clime, although 
the rose is always blushing in the fields, it scarcely deigns to 
lend its damask tints to the cheeks of the fair. 

The procession at length arrived : in the van appeared a 
band of musicians, wearing helmets of a beautiful Grecian 
form, highly burnished, and breathing upon brazen instruments 
which shone with exceeding splendor ; then followed an illus- 
trious officer bearing a cruciform staff with a sable ensign, its 
raven folds drooping mournfully upon his golden decorations ; 
succeeding him were a large military escort of dismounted 
officers and battalions of infantry, with arms reversed, the 
martial chiefs resigning their plumed chapeaus to soldiers at 
their sides, and marching uncovered through the winding 
streets ; then an incense-bearer, from whose polished censer 
issued wreaths of odorous clouds perfuming the "Toledo" 
with sacred aroma. The body of the Saviour in a case of 
glass next passed, covered with flowers, illumined with burn- 
ing tapers, and surrounded by guards clad in Roman armor, 
with helmets, and shields, and spears of steel, flanked by 
columns of Sicilian soldiery ; then the senate, with officials, 
civilians, and noblemen, arrayed in mourning apparel of costli- 
est velvet, adorned with edgings and trimmings of the richest 
silver, uncovered, with wax lights in their right hands brightly 
burning; following them, the potential dignitaries of the 
2 



38 PALERMO. 

clmrcli in their sacerdotal vestments, with luminaries, accom- 
panied by students and professors of colleges and seminaries ; 
interspersed were marshals with cruciform wands of ebony, 
directing the movements of the procession. 

A powerful cohort of musicians was next in order, and 
after it, the bearer of an incense-breathing urn, which filled 
the air with fragrant columns of smoke : at once all eyes were 
turned to a shining car upon. which stood a life-sized figure of 
the Virgin Mary, in tears, supported and borne upon the shoul- 
ders of strong men, escorted by a guard of honor equipped in 
the richest uniform that ever glistened upon the tented field ; 
around it bent the crimson banners of Mars, and the muffled 
drums of the battle-field were beating, and the stirring trum- 
pets of war were sadly sounding. The assembled concourse 
were instantly engaged in silent adoration, bowing their 
heads like the waving surface of a heaving ocean; giving 
apparent evidence of devotional sensibility struggling for 
expression. 

The Saviour crucified had passed without awakening unu- 
sual demonstrations ; but when the Virgin came, contrition 
breathed a prayer, honor gathered the fairest chaplets for her 
brow, and glory encircled her with a diadem of stars. Music, 
too, again lifted up her voice, proceeding from a band of 
towering, tall-plumed musicians in imperial regimentals of 
unusual magnificence, their notes excelling all that yet had 
sounded upon my ravished ear. 

Sicilia's soldiery appeared determined to signalize the day 
with august splendor : companies of grenadiers poured forth 



PALEKMO. 39 

their warlike columns in dense array, while majestic plumes 
waved from their bear-skin caps. 

Band after band followed, until all the instrumental 
strength and martial power of Palermo were exhausted in the 
commemoration of the day. 



CHAPTER VII. 

In reference to new buildings, Palermo, in common with the 
ancient cities of Europe, may be said to rest from her labors; — 
neither emigration, commerce, nor increasing population invite 
the architect or the builder to the construction of additional 
habitations. With the exception of a new prison and a gaso- 
meter (both under the direction of the local authorities), I 
have not observed a solitary edifice rearing its front among 
the venerable mansions of the capital. 

From this circumstance, the. carts and vehicles for the 
conveyance of burdens are uniformly veiy light, and of a 
diminutive size ; they are usually painted of a cheerful yellow 
color, and numbered, and most of them are embellished with 
the figure of a madonna. The beasts of burden are donkeys ; 
they perform all the transportation and drudgery of the 
island, and the labor imposed upon them is severe and inces- 
sant. During my visit I have had daily occasion to feel for 
these faithful animals, which appear always toiling under the 
heavy tasks of their imperious masters ; some are harnessed 
to carts, and others, with large panniers upon their backs, 
bear into the city marketing and productions for exportation. 



PALERMO. 41 

Frequently, when the burden itself is altogether dispropor- 
tionate to the size and strength of the submissive beast, an 
inconsiderate driver may be observed snugly ensconced be- 
hind the pannier, or riding upon one of the shafts of the cart, 
and perhaps a crony sitting upon the other, vigorously apply- 
ing a good-sized stick to increase the speed of the donkey. 

The numerous parties of pleasure, who visit the moun- 
tains and environs of Palermo, usually employ donkeys to 
convey them thither ; but these unfortunate animals do not 
fare much better in this fashionable service, as their ridel's 
are frequently large and heavy, and uniformly desirous of 
travelling as fast as circumstances will permit, and withal not 
very considerate toward property in which they have not the 
sympathy of ownership. These excursions, owing to the va- 
rious sizes of the riders, the grave appearance of the quadru- 
peds, and the animated preparations for the journey, afford a 
rather novel spectacle, and attract around the hotel all the 
idlers and beggars of the neighborhood to see the departure 
of the company. On one occasion I observed a very powerful, 
athletic German youth, who, as he sat upon the back of his 
donkey, touched the ground with his toes ; for him stirrups 
were utterly useless, and he resolved to ride without them ; 
,the party were destined for Bagaria, a village many miles dis- 
tant, and the poor beast for that day was saddled with a load 
that might well be termed too intolerable to be borne. Trav- 
elling in this way is very reasonable, the charge being only 
thirty-three cents a day, during which time the chief objects 
of interest contiguous to the city may be visited. 

The horses of Palermo present a superb appearance ; they 



42 PALERMO. 

• 

are all studs, full of fire and strength, and display their glory 
only in the service of the noble, the affluent, and the military; 
their masters lavish every attention upon them, and the proud 
steeds, as if conscious of their exalted condition, manifest a 
lofty bearing that arrests the attention and commands the 
admiration of the beholder. Every family of means possesses 
an equipage. Ladies are very seldom seen in the public 
thoroughfares ; they ride out and walk but very little. The 
few that are observed are attired in black veils, and are gen- 
erally either going to or returning from church. As no female 
is suffered to wear a hat or bonnet in a papal sanctuary, the 
higher and middle classes array themselves in black veils, 
while those in more humble circumstances cast a shawl or 
hood over their heads. 

The carnages are mostly supplied with footmen, and 
those who serve the titled ranks are dressed in a green mili- 
tary uniform with plumed chapeau and side-arms. The 
driver never leaves his seat ; cords are attached to his coat, 
which pass through apertures into the vehicle, and enable 
those within to direct and drive him whither they list. The 
most imposing equipage of the capital is that of the cardinal. 
I can compare it to nothing but the carriage which the good 
old fairy created to cany Cinderella to the celebrated ball. 
The driver and the three footmen (one is not sufficient for a 
cardinal) wear a profusion of shining ornaments and gold 
embroidery, while the horses are gayly caparisoned with 
burnished trappings and armorial bearings, and then heads 
crowned with waving plumes of red. 

The houses of the city, with scarcely an exception, are 



PALEKMO. 43 

furnished with balconies ; even the loftiest windows are bal- 
conied. In gazing upon these extensive iron ranges of ele- 
vated rails, they appeared to me like the shrouds of a battle- 
fleet. As very few of the dwellings have yards or gardens 
attached, the citizens display commendable taste in embel- 
lishing their balconies with vases of flowers and the choicest 
evergreens. 

The buildings are of a yellowish hue, while the lattices, 
blinds, and domes are green. 

Instead of " clothes-lines," every family is provided with a 
lot of bamboo fish-poles, which are extended from the street 
windows, and upon which wet garments are hung to dry ; 
from this circumstance, I have on some occasions been abso- 
lutely perplexed to see the termination of streets ; even in the 
"Via Toledo," which is the "Broadway" of Palermo, this 
practice is as common as in streets of less pretensions ; — from 
ducal mansions, and the royal palace itself, these wet banners 
may be seen waving upon " the outer walls." 



CHAPTEE YIII. 

CI)* ClmrtjjBs of Palermo. 

One of the cardinal features of this interesting capital is the 
number and splendor of its sacred edifices. If required to 
offer a significant agnomen for Palermo, I would honor her 
•with the distinguishing appellation of the " City of Churches." 
So successfully have the founders of her temples combined the 
genuine elements of beauty and strength in then* composi- 
tion, that consecutive ages -will continue to bestow the meed 
of admiration upon then- works, and doubtless enjoy the ben- 
efit of their labors until the final accomplishment of the 
object of their dedication. 

The history of Palermo, like that of ancient cities in 
general, is checkered with the usual revolutions and changes 
incidental to the administration of human institutions. Ori- 
ginally colonized by the Greeks and Eomans, those mighty 
nations and their descendants retained possession of the in- 
heritance, until the occurrence of the Saracenic invasion of 
the ninth century, Avhich resulted in its conquest and uncon- 
ditional submission to the victorious arms of the invaders. 

For two centuries the Moslem crescent ruled the destinies 
of the people, and reflected an oriental lustre upon the im- 
provements of the capital. The following century, however, 



THE CHUECHES OF PALEEMO. 45 

was memorable for its culmination and the ascension of a 
brighter rival in the moral firmament of power ; it was the 
rising star of the Norman. Under its conquering auspices 
the dynasties of thrones were changed, and the sceptres of 
England and Sicily became the guerdon of the warriors of 
the continent. The mosques and towers of Palermo were 
crowned with the symbol of the Cross, and Christianity be- 
came the established religion of the Sicilian Metropolis. 

Unto the Omnipotent Disposer of events the Norman 
leaders considered their especial acknowledgments were due, 
for the successful termination of the expedition. Influenced 
by this controlling conviction, they vowed and planned the 
most magnificent designs for the erection and dedication of 
temples to His service. Commencing the execution of their 
purpose when in the full flush of victorious enthusiasm, with 
the spoils and treasures of conquest at their command, and a 
numerous and obedient body of vassals subject to their feudal 
disposition, nothing interfered to prevent the effectual consum- 
mation of the undertaking. The memorable " Sicilian Ves- 
pers" of the thirteenth century, although eventuating in the 
expulsion of the Norman and the elevation of the Arragonese 
dynasty to the throne, gave no interruption to the progress of 
the sacred enterprise ; animated by the same spirit which had 
so powerfully actuated their warlike predecessors, the princes 
of Arragon were emulous to excel in the prosecution of so 
glorious an undertaking. Under such favoring auspices, the 
capital continued the augmentation of its temples, and to 
accumulate the productions of genius, and the benefactions of 
opulence, for their permanent enrichment. 
2* 



46 THE CHURCHES OF PALERMO. 

When the attendant circumstances are thus considered, 
which have so materially contributed to the architectural 
embellishment of the metropolis, the mind of the beholder 
experiences a corresponding modification of its original sur- 
prise, and a consequent preparation for an advantageous ex- 
amination of the surrounding edifices. 

The concurrent testimony of the highest authorities con- 
cedes to the city of Palermo an eminent position for the 
imposing splendor of her temples. Upon entering within the 
consecrated walls of her chief sanctuaries, the beholder discov- 
ers the most effective manifestations of genius, in the graphic 
illustration of the principal events connected with the history 
of Christianity. 

The survey of the numerous figurative personifications 
around me powerfully awakened the most vivid recollections 
of all that was sublime and beautiful in the pulpit rhetoric of 
my native land. The delineation of the Divine Author of 
human redemption, in the various offices and characters he 
so successfully assumed, appears to have constituted one of 
the favorite aims of the sons of genius. 

On one occasion, my attention was especially elicited 
in the contemplation of a sculptured figure, in which He was 
represented in the majestic attitude of a Conqueror — the 
Conqueror of Conquerors ! — who, having triumphed over the 
grave, " had torn Death from his throne of bones, and taken 
possession of the city of the dead." The loins of the victor 
were girded with the crimson robe of Calvary ; his right 
hand was elevated unto the heavens, and in his left waved the 
potential banner of princely invincibility. On another occa- 



THE CHURCHES OF PALERMO. 47 

sion, He appeared in mediation between man and his Maker : 
thus personified, with one arm extended, He grasped the 
everlasting pillars of his Father's throne, and with the other, 
embraced a fallen world to bring the two together. 

Independent of the extensive and admirable embellish- 
ments in works of sculpture, these magnificent structures are 
also celebrated for relievos, mosaics, frescoes, and paintings of 
a superior order. The altars and walls are incrusted with 
marbles, agates, and jaspers, while the sacred vessels and 
utensils of service are composed of gold, and silver, and pre- 
cious gems. The vestments of the clergy are likewise re- 
markable for then richness, tnd admirably adapted to sustain 
the high claims of the Eomish church in the imposing cele- 
bration of its rituals. According to information derived from 
an intelligent member of the order, the complement of the 
particular congregation to which he was attached exceeded 
two thousand vestments, the most valuable of which had been 
in the possession of the fraternity four hundred years. 

Perhaps in no portion of Christendom has the Romish 
hierarchy enjoyed a more exclusive dominion over the opin- 
ions and affections of a people, than that evinced in the past 
and present aspect of this interesting island. 

Extensive as were the changes occasioned by the memo- 
rable Reformation of the sixteenth century, and powerful as 
were its effects upon the general interests of the Catholic 
kingdoms of Europe, that great event appears never to have 
been productive of any material modification in the Catholic 
institutions of Sicily. Nor did the French Revolution of the 
eighteenth centuiy, which proved so formidable an adversary 



48 THE CHURCHES OF PALERMO. 

to the supremacy of the papal power, eventuate in the pro- 
mulgation of its revolutionary influences to this sea-girdled 
isle. Even the military career of Napoleon, which left such 
a signal impress upon the civil and religious institutions of 
the age, was not attended by the introduction of any radical 
change in the internal administration of its affairs. 

Insular, and in its situation considerably remote from the 
chief theatre of his warlike operations, Sicily, aided by the 
protection of the navy of England, experienced a singular 
exemption from the invasions of the eagle-bearing legions of 
that imperial conqueror. Thus it will be perceived, that the 
moving causes which contributed to the suppression of the 
monastic institutions of Europe, and to the reduction of the 
temporal possessions and power of the church, tended only 
indirectly to influence the ecclesiastical establishment of Sicily. 
By reference to the statistics of the island, it appears that, 
with a population of 1,7 8 7, 771 inhabitants, three hundred 
thousand of that number are ecclesiastics, or persons living 
upon ecclesiastical revenues. The convents which are scat- 
tered throughout the country would almost exceed belief, 
amounting to no less than eleven hundred and seventeen in 
number, and tenanted, in the aggregate, by thirty thousand 
monks and thirty thousand nuns. 

Messina, Catania, and Syracuse, as well as the minor cities 
of Sicily, although possessing, in general, churches of consid- 
erable celebrity, many of which are identified with the Greek 
and Roman polytheism of the island, do not excel, in number, 
interest, or magnificence, those which adorn the beautiful 
capital of Palermo. 



CHAPTER IX. 

tyi toirnna nf ^almtto. 

This ancient capital is surrounded with celebrated gardens 
and pleasant villages. The city Flora, which fronts the bay, 
deservedly commands the highest admiration. Adjoining it 
and separated by an iron railing, is the Orto-Botanico, a gar- 
den so rich in choice shrubs and trees as to be acknowledged 
and classed among the first in Europe. The productions of 
Asia and Ethiopia are cultured within its borders, their 
presence imparting a tropical aspect to its conservatory, and 
materially aiding in the prosecution of botanical science ; the 
palm of Africa, the " mocha " of Arabia, the cinnamon of 
Ceylon, the pepper of Sumatra, and the plantain and the 
bamboo of India, eminently illustrating the benefactions of 
nature to sunnier climes. A tasteful domed edifice commands 
the entrance, its arrangements including halls for instruction, 
for the preservation of plants, and the library of the insti- 
tution. 

Contiguous to the city is the Villa Phillippina, the accus- 
tomed resort of students and collegians for pleasure and recre- 
ation. A mile beyond is Olivuzza, a village of princely gar- 



50 THE ENVIRONS OF PALERMO. 

dens and noble habitations ; the road which leads to it being 
margined with multifarious plants and odor-breathing trees. 
Here, conspicuous among numerous suburban retreats, are 
the villas Butera and Serra di Falco, the praise of the capital 
and the admiration of tourists. Within the ample space of 
their respective inclosures flourishes every flower that can 
delight the eye, or regale the senses ; trees from every clime 
offer their inviting shades, airs balmy as the breath of Hygeia 
refresh the groves, while the waters, hallowed by the genius 
of classic ages, ascend in crystal columns and whisper through, 
the bowers. In the immediate vicinity, upon a gentle eleva- 
tion, stands the Ziza, a venerable and uninhabited palace, 
reared by the conquering Saracen ten hundred years ago ; its 
aged walls grown gray with the mantling mists of opposing 
elements and rolling centimes. A short distance to the left, 
another structure, of a similar origin, called the Kooba, sub- 
serves the purpose of barracks for the royal cavalry. In sur- 
veying these ancient edifices the mind involuntarily reverts to 
the history of their founder's, and transiently revives the mem- 
ory of departed empire. Here the Arab of the desert, plant- 
ing the crescent of Mahomet, subdued the fairest island of the 
Mediterranean to his sceptre, and extended his dominion 
until more than half of the ancient world received law and 
religion from his hands. But the mighty power of the Sara- 
cen has declined and passed away, and the Arab wanders 
again over the desert of his fathers, unconscious of the former 
grandeur of his race. 

Not far from the walls of the city, a large stone mansion 
of plain exterior, with a spacious entrance, is designated as 



THE ENVIRONS OF PALERMO. 51 

the former residence of Louis Philippe, the departed king of 
the French, who, during his expatriation, passed some years 
as a resident of Palermo. In this city, in November, 1809, 
was solemnized his marriage with the Princess Amelia, the 
daughter of the late king of the Sicilies ; and here their first 
son, the unfortunate duke of Orleans, was born. 

Proceeding into the interior, about four miles from this 
kingly mansion is the town of Monreale, most charmingly 
situated upon the brow of a mountain. The avenue by which 
it is approached is embellished with costly fountains, magnifi- 
cent edifices, and noble trees. The grand appearance of the 
scenery overwhelmed me with admiration ; as we ascended, 
every advance heightened the beauty of the prospect. The 
road bloomed with flowers, and the airs were so fragrant, that 
I fancied that the sweetest zephyrs of immortality had wan- 
dered from Elysian realms and breathed upon the plains. 
Upon arriving at the elevated heights of Monreale, I paused 
to review the valley and scenery of Palermo ; as my eye sur- 
veyed her green meadows, her lovely villas, opulent palaces, 
golden groves, emerald hills, and romantic bay, I despaired of 
language to delineate the spectacle, and gazing heavenward, 
wished for the golden dialect of the skies to do it homage. 
Enraptured as I was with the beautiful imagery of nature, 
appearing as she did to combine and display all the terrestrial 
glory at her command, inspiration assured me that there was 
a clime beyond the skies, fairer and lovelier than all the sub- 
lunary magnificence which I beheld, and a voice, milder than 
Favonian winds, whispered that virtue and religion were the 
only passports to its sublime inheritance. 



52 THE ENVIEONS OF PALEEMO. 

This interesting town was originally an Arabian hamlet, 
and its cathedral and monastery are the most splendid struc- 
tures in Sicily, eminently attesting the genius and power of 
the ancient Saracen, who not only excelled in arms, but also 
in the construction of aqueducts, temples, and palaces, which 
challenge the admiration of the world. 

The lapse of ages had impressed a venerable aspect upon 
the walls before me, but their primitive strength was unim- 
paired, and promised endurance until Time himself shall be 
weary of his years and long for the dawn of the general 
judgment. 

In an opposite direction, and within two miles of the city, 
is an enchanting villa called "La Favorita," the suburban 
abode of majesty, abounding with every convenience conducive 
to the gratification of a sovereign, or the pleasure of a prince. 
The edifice is the model of a Chinese palace, light and novel 
in its proportions, and replete throughout with striking exem- 
plifications of the character of the architecture and embellish- 
ments peculiar to the Oriental Empire. 

In my visitation I was conducted to the recesses where 
royalty was wont to resign itself to repose. These apartments 
were sumptuously furnished ; the divans and couches were of 
satin of inimitable whiteness — so soft and pleasant to the 
touch that naught but fleecy down from the breasts of cyg- 
nets could vie in -comparison. In surveying the premises, in 
whichever direction I turned my eye, I beheld the most 
exquisite creations of beauty ; so charmed was I by the sur- 
passing loveliness of the delineations around me, that I fancied 
the genius of painting, apprised how " uneasy rests the head 



THE ENVIRONS OF PALERMO. 53 

that wears a crown," had herself assumed the easel, and with 
her graphic pencil exhausted all the composing allegories of 
her art upon the walls. 

Eound about and adjacent to the palace, the grounds 
formed an extensive park of many miles in amplitude, well 
inclosed, and entirely reserved for the benefit and pleasure of 
the king, the whole being embosomed in the most delightful 
portion of the valley, and compi"ising within its limits fields of 
perennial verdure, gardens of celestial loveliness, and groves 
of everlasting fruits. But yonder, pre-eminent among the 
stately structures of the capital, rise the imposing towers of 
an edifice of superior magnificence ; it is a palace, renowned 
as the abode of monarchs anterior to the Norman conquest of 
the island ; that splendid pile is also a reservation for kingly 
occupation. Yet these princely possessions, so costly and 
grand as to baffle computation, are merely accumulative 
appendages to the crown. The permanent residence of the 
sovereign is at Naples, and in that favorite portion of his 
dominions, his castles and domains are exceedingly extensive, 
and of inestimable value. 

The remaining localities, to which I shall only refer, are 
Bocca di Falco, Maredolce, St. Maria de Gesu, Bagaria, Gra- 
zia, and Baida. These, with the palaces previously described, 
as well as the noble bay of the port, are collectively encircled 
within a superb crescent of mountains, which, while they give 
a peculiar beauty and significance to the capital and its envi- 
rons, simultaneously impress the beholder with unspeakable 
conceptions of Deity. 



CHAPTEE X. 
Cjs latj xtixlt 3Eariiut of $ataa. 

The bay of this beautiful capital may in form be compared 
to a crescent, at the east point of which projects Mount Catal- 
fano, and on the west the sublime Pelegrino ; while in the 
bosom of the curve is the " Marina," the glory of Palermo, a 
spacious promenade, beautified by princely palaces, delightful 
gardens, and murmuring fountains. In the centre stands an 
elegant marble-columned temple, occupied during the sum- 
mer by military bands for the musical entertainment of the 
people; at the extremities of the Marina are yellow-stoned 
castles, reared ages ago, by Spanish sovereigns, for local 
defence. In many respects, this celebrated resort resembles 
the Battery of New- York, having, in like manner, along its 
shore a walled rampart of colossean strength, against which 
the sea is ever rolling its restless waves and spray-crowned 
billows. 

The stony bulwark, however, is judiciously carried above 
the grade of the avenue, and fashioned into a ranging border 
of seats, permanently at the 'service of the weary ambulator, 
and extending, with an admirably paved walk, from castle to 



THE BAY AND MAEINA OF PALEEMO. 55 

castle. At the side thereof and parallel therewith, is a mac- 
adamized course for equipages and horsemen, excellently 
maintained. The old walls of the city follow the avenue for 
some distance, although partially obscured by luxuriant rows 
of trees which line the road-side ; while above the walls, and 
overlooking all that I have described, is a terraced promenade 
of a more private character, of exceeding interest and beauty, 
an appendage to the range of palaces that tower behind it. 

The seats are of choice marble, both white and blue, 
smoothly sculptured and well designed ; upon the balcony are 
classic vases containing geraniums budding and blooming; 
while in the sylvan recesses of the terrace are the statues of 
goddesses, the fabled patronesses of plants and flowers, stand- 
ing in graceful attitudes upon polished columns, delicately 
entwined with elastic clasping vines. This enchanting walk 
has been my favorite place of observation, the eminence 
whence I have gazed a thousand times upon the crescent 
panorama of Palermo, every visit renewing the conviction 
that a scene more grand or picturesque never mirrored the 
silver shields of heaven, or welcomed the orient beams of 
sunrise. 

On my right, glittering among the distant hills, the eye 
commanded a village of palaces, the princely Bagaria, where 
affluence had reared its imposing structures, and art had ren- 
dered forests, flowers, and streams subservient to artificial 
arrangements. On my left, safely moored within the mole, 
and under the royal brow of Pelegrino, darkly clustered the 
shipping of the port, its tallest masts, with the lazaretto and 
the light-house tower, appearing, in comparison with the 



56 THE BAY AND MARINA OF PALERMO. 

cloud-rising cliflj but as the miniature fabrications of a day. 
Below, the eye rested upon the " Marina," embellished with 
the foliage of blossom-bearing trees, and studded with marble 
statues of departed sovereigns, exquisitely sculptured, in their 
coronation robes, and wielding the sceptre of the Sicilies. 
The avenue, agitated by the rumbling chariots of noblemen, 
and gay with the bushy plumes, the rosettes and livery of 
obsequious dependents. The promenades, thronged with the 
leisure population of the city, enjoying the bracing air and 
animation of their favorite " Marina." 

Beyond, the vision swept the broad bay until lost in the 
blue mists of the Mediterranean. How beautiful the aspect 
of the sea, covered with the white wings of tiny barks sweetly 
looming above the ruffled waves ! and then to behold majes- 
tic merchantmen, with studding sails, rising from main to 
royals and sky-sails, pyramids of canvas gliding sublimely 
along the sea, rivalling in moral grandeur the stationary- 
colossi of Egypt. 

In this balm-breathing clime, it has been my daily plea- 
sure to rise with the notes of warbling birds, and passing 
through the porta Felice or the porta Grseci (the noble gates 
which open upon the Marina), extend my walk beyond the 
eastern castle ; to roam along the rural portion of the bay, to 
inspire the pure air of the morning fresh with vital power 
from the ocean lungs of Neptune ; and on my return, inhale 
the paradise-aroma of blossoming orange-groves waving their 
flowery crowns along the sandy border. 

At midnight, too, how often have I left my pillow, 
charmed by the splendor of the heavens and the music of 



THE BAY AND MARINA OF PALERMO. 57 

sounding waves, the " Marina," at all times interesting, appear- 
ing unusually so under the solemn influence of the midnight 
hour. The minaretted towere, the slumbering mountains, 
and broad-spread domes of hallowed temples, ever filling and 
elevating the mind with conceptions of the grand and the 
beautiful, while the moon with her silver crescent, the shining 
symbol of the conquering Saracen, poetically declared the 
oriental significance of the Sicilian capital. Although the 
sublunary glory that surrounded me awakened emotions of a 
lofty character, when my wandering thoughts arose above the 
tranquil scene, I realized a display of magnificence which 
challenged all the enthusiasm of the "divinity that stirred 
within me ;" it was the star-gemmed concave of Urania, the 
dome of domes, crowning sea and land, and suspended by 
the fiat of Omnipotence I 



CHAPTEE XI. 



A garden, 
ilked in Ve 
Beauty at his side and bliss in every bower. 



Rivalling that which Adam walked in Paradise : 



Facing the sea is situated the Flora, or Villa Giulia, a 
public garden of superior attractions. The grand entrance 
opening upon the Marina resembles a triumphal arch, being 
very lofty, and surmounted with the royal arms of the king- 
dom, an eagle with wings outspread and a shield and crown 
upon its breast. On each side of the arched gateway are 
broad bases supporting the figures of crouching lions. At 
three of the cornel's of the garden are green-domed pavilions, 
and in the fourth corner is a structure of an angular form 
with a terraced roof, affording a favorable view of the Medi- 
terranean. The front railing is of iron, painted white, and 
supported by marble columns, capped with vases for flowers. 
The garden is of a square form, well regulated and provided 
with spacious avenues ; while the collateral and intersecting 
walks are either arched with grateful shading mulberries, or 
lined with rows of the orange and the lemon, perennially 



THE FLORA OF PALERMO. 59 

dressed in living green. Some of the beds are margined 
with box, and the corners thereof fashioned into pyramidal 
embellishments ; others are bordered with rose bushes always 
flowering. 

In the centre of one of the beds is a bust of " Bellini," 
and in another one of " Pacini," eminent musical composers 
of the island ; the monuments which support the same being 
respectively sculptured with the various instruments and 
symbols of their art. The principal trees which flourish upon 
the premises are the date, the fig, the orange, lemon, ash, 
willow, plantain, aloe, and the tree of Judea, while the plants 
and flowers which abound are choice and numerous. Toward 
the shore is situated a rising mound of earth of a gentle ele- 
vation, covered with shrubs and flowers, and crowned with 
rustic seats. Hither many repair to survey the adjacent hills 
and admire the broad blue realm of Neptune, always glis- 
tening with xebeques, feluccas, and speronaras, their rising 
sails inclined by favoring breezes, and bending upon the sea 
like Pisa's far-famed tower. 

Throughout the garden the silver voices of numerous 
waterfalls, issuing from umbrageous groves, constrain the 
visitor to turn aside and incline his steps to their inviting bor- 
ders, while toward the south a fountain of unquestioned 
pre-eminence, upon which the happiest efforts of sculpture 
have been lavished, reveals its imposing embellishments 
before him. Here, in the centre of a deep basin, a pile of 
rocks arise and form a noble seat for the Genius of Palermo. 
Sceptred he sits, reigning in majesty with kingly emblems 



60 THE FLOKA OF PALER3IO. 

around him, and gushing cascades pouring and sounding 
from his throne. Around this interesting section, ample 
space is allotted for the assemblage of a numerous concourse ; 
several of the chief thoroughfares converging thither, their 
facing angles graced with models of statuary, the effective 
personifications of the passions. 

But the most delightful resort of the garden is in the 
centre and comprised 'within the circumference of a large 
circle, in the midst of ■which, a most beautiful fountain casts 
its lucent jets upon rocks green with moss and aqueous plants : 
a genius kneeling upon the crown supports a dial whose 
shadows, day by day, mark the departing hours and measure 
lives away. A neat iron rail of white surrounds the whole, 
adorning and protecting the charge within its borders. 
Marble ottomans, flower-vased colonnettes, temples for birds 
of song, arched trellises festooned with roses, and the tower- 
ing trees of the forest, combine their attractions in constituting 
the circle the glory of the Flora. Here, as from a common 
centre, diverge grand avenues dividing the beds in segmental 
forms, and affording a fair view of the four gates. From this 
position as I surveyed the beautiful valley of Palermo, so 
blight and shining to the eye, and circled with heaven- 
ascending hills, I ceased to wonder that poetry for ages had 
hallowed it as the Yale of the Golden Shell. 

Every thing in view appeared bathed in loveliness ; the 
day was divinely fan, and roses clustered around me numerous 
as the leaves of my native forests : it was a festival of roses, 
and the Flora bloomed with damask chaplets in honor of its 



THE FLOEA OF PALERMO. 61 

blushing queen. The very heavens spoke of Heaven ; I felt 
the presence of my Maker in the garden, and realized, with 
Bascom, that His breath perfumed, and His pencil painted 
the flowers. 

But suddenly, in the midst of my golden reveries, ^per- 
ceived, in a secluded portion of the Flora, the dark-green 
cones of mournful trees : it proved a cypress grove, waving its 
solemn plumes in memory of departed genius. I entered its 
Cimmerian walks, and stood in the presence of cenotaphs, 
mounds, and sarcophagi, reared by grateful Sicily in honor of 
her illustrious dead. Diodorus Siculus, Theocritus, Archime- 
des, Stesichorus, Moschus, Charondas, Epicharmus, and other 
names less known to fame. The aspect of the place involved 
all the intense solemnity of the grave, and occasioned a train 
of reflections unusually melancholy. 

I thought of the ravages of Time, and considered that for 
near six thousand years the standard of Death had been 
streaming in the breeze, that continents and islands were 
whitened with the bones of departed generations, and that 
oceans and seas were treasured with the bones of nations. 
With soiTowful emotions I left the grove, but no sooner had 
I receded from its dark precincts than the everlasting" hills 
burst in grandeur upon my view, and the gloom of the grave 
was in oblivion ; for I thought of Tabor, and the Transfigura- 
tion, and of Him who hath declared Himself to be the Resur- 
rection and the Life. Faith discerned His presence mantled 
with clouds ineffably bright, and attended with beatific spirits 
glistening with shiny raiment and encircled with the halo of 
a glorious immortality. 
3 



62 THE FLORA OF PALERMO. 

The sun declined. Night resumed her reign, and the 
firmament glittered with the shining ciphers of Eternity. 

" I viewed the change with sweet surprise, 
And oh ! I panted for the skies ; 
Thanked Heaven, that e'er I drew my breath, 
And triumphed in the thoughts of Death." 



CHAPTEK XII. 

tesiiw— Stat ftita— Catania— itptnse— (Btrpti— iicrlti. 

The harbor of Messina in form resembles a sickle, and on this 
account the city was called by the ancients Zancle. Accord- 
ing to tradition it was founded 530 years before the seige of 
Troy, and is, therefore, 964 years older than Rome. Its har- 
bor has been admired, and is embellished with a range of 
marble buildings nearly uniform the whole length. The 
squares are adorned with equestrian statues and marble foun- 
tains ; and the churches, convents, and public edifices are 
beautiful, and highly creditable. Messina, in its day, has 
been a flourishing and noble city, but the numerous misfor- 
tunes it has experienced have sadly altered its condition. 
The plague of 1743 swept away half its population, and the 
terrible earthquakes of 1780 and 1782 occasioned the de- 
struction of a large portion of the place ; while in the recent 
revolution of 1849, its unsuccessful struggle against the throne 
of Naples for independence inflicted additional losses of incalcu- 
lable magnitude. Its population once amounted to 100,000, 
it is now only about 47,000. Owing to the presence of 
mountains, and the currents of the straits, the air of the city 



64 MESSINA. 

is fresher and more temperate, than that of any other portion 
of the island. The famous eddies of Scylla and Charybdis 
are not far from the port, and a few miles to the north is 
Stromboli, a volcano in the sea always burning, the flames of 
which, reflect their light to such a distance on the waves that 
it is named the Faro, or the light house of the Mediterranean. 

In the treasury of the Cathedral is preserved the palla- 
dium of Messina, a letter from the Virgin Mary to its citizens ; 
in consequence of which, the Messinese pretend to be pre- 
eminent over the whole island ; nay, over the whole world. 
It appears that during her residence at Jerusalem, the Messi- 
nese having recently embraced the religion of the Cross, were 
induced to elect and dispatch an embassy of four persons, 
charged with the duty of assuring her of their veneration and 
respect. In acknowledgment of this mark of consideration, 
the Virgin Mary volunteered to take their city under her im- 
mediate protection, and wrote the letter in question as an 
abiding evidence of her obligation. The letter itself is a great 
curiosity, and translated from Hebrew into English, reads as 
follows : 

" The Virgin Mary, daughter of James, the most humble 
mother of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, of the tribe of 
Judah, of the race of David, health and benediction of God 
the Father to all the Messinese. 

"It being certain that, owing to your great faith, you 
have, after a public deliberation, sent me these messengers ; 
and since you admit that our Son is God and also man ; that 
he went up to Heaven after his resurrection, as you have 
been instructed by St. Paul, chosen as an apostle, we bless 



MESSINA. 65 

you, together with all your city, and we wish to be always 
considered as your protectress. 

" The 4 2d year of our Son, that is to say, the 3d of June 
and 27th of the Moon in Jerusalem." 

The people of Messina have a passionate devotion for the 
Virgin Mary, and have called twenty streets of their city after 
her, under various titles of honor, and the most pious, baptize 
their sons and daughters Lettorio and Letteria, in honor of 
the sacred letter. 

The grand festival in commemoration of the reception of 
this palladium of their safety, takes place on the 4th of June, 
every year. On that day a long procession is formed in which 
all classes, from the Cardinal to the mendicant, participate. 
The vase containing the epistle is carried by the Bishop, as- 
sisted by six Senators, bearing a rich canopy above it. At 
the same time paintings are suspended in the main streets 
descriptive of the principal circumstances connected with the 
history of the event. One painting represents the Virgin 
Mary writing the letter, with a dove shedding light upon her 
while so engaged ; and the messengers from Messina in pros- 
trate attitudes before her. Another represents the return of 
the messengers to their native city, and formally delivering 
tr^e letter in a silver casket to the municipal authorities of 
Messina. 

Notwithstanding the special assurance of the patronage 
and favor of the Madonna, few cities have been so unfortu- 
nate as Messina. It has suffered from calamities of every 
description, and this day the miserable and destitute condition 
of its lower classes excites the keenest feelings of pity and 



66 iiorxi -ETCA. 

commiseration. These things, however, have not occasioned 
any abatement of their devotion to the Virgin, or diminished 
their confidence in her as their all-sufficient protectress. In 
thinking carefully upon the subject, it appeared to me that 
the Virgin did not hear their supplications, or that she heard 
them and had not the abilitv or inclination to answer them. 



M0r>~T JETSA* 

This is the largest and most extraordinary volcanic moun- 
tain in the world It is 10.S74 feet high. — (that of Vesuvius 
is only 3.979.) — and measures ISO miles in circumference at 

the base, and in its various regions has three separate zones 
or climates. Over its sides are scattered no fewer than 77 
cities, towns and villages, occupied by about 115.000 people. 
To ascend it from Catania is a journey of 24 miles. This 
journey is one of great fatigue, and very few travellers are dis- 
posed to undertake it. This mountain produces ah the neces- 
saries and luxuries of life. The first region is the most fertile, 
and affords com, oil, wine, silks, spices and delicious fruits. 
The second yields beautiful forests and flocks of game, besides 
tar. cork and honey, and the third snow and ice — while its 
caverns aae stored with marbles and mineral productions, 
such as cinnabar, mercury, sulphur, alum, nitre and vitriol. 
Its timber keeps the Sicilians warm in -winter, and its ice cool 
in summer. The sale of snow and ice collected from its cone 
averages ten thousand dollars per annum. The castapna di 
canto co.vaUi. or the chestnut tree of a hundred horse — so 
called because it is supposed to be capable of sheltering one 



MOUNT .ETNA. 67 

hundred horses beneath the canopy of its boughs, is situated 
in one of the spacious fields of the lower circle. The dense 
forests are occupied by wild beasts, and the loftier heights by 
that bird of liberty, the eagle — - 

" The bird that laves 
Her sounding pinions in the sun's first gush, 
Drinks his meridian blaze and sun-set flush ; 
Worships her idol in his fiercest hour ; 
Bathes her full bosom in his hottest shower ; 
Hides with the thunderer in his blazing march ; 
And bears his lightnings o'er yon boundless arch." 

The rays of the rising sun strike the top of the mountain 
seven or eight minutes before they shine on Catania ; at this 
time the shadow of the mountain extends over the whole 
island and even into the sea. The view from the summit of 
^Etna baffles description. At this elevation the diameter of 
the horizon commanded by the human eye is estimated at 
800 miles, which is equal to a circumference of 2,400 miles. 
No wonder that the Emperor Adrian and the philosopher 
Plato were willing to undergo the toil of mounting to this alti- 
tude to enjoy the gratification of such a prospect. 

A French traveller, speaking of the effect of the rising 
sun from the heights of iEtna, says that it was as if the uni- 
verse had been observed suddenly springing from the night 
of non-existence. The coasts of Africa and Naples, and all 
the intervening islands, are under the range of observation. 
The massy body of the mountain is seen entire, and the whole 
island of Sicily, with its rivers, cities and hamlets in full re- 
lief, including the flowery fields of Enna, and the honeyed hills 



OS CATANIA, 

of Hybla. In the spring, when the trees begin to flower, the 
island appears as if powdered with blossoms. From such a 
height the people in the vales below seem but as grasshop- 
pers. 

But ^Etna is not always passive. It is subject to erup- 
tions and earthquakes, and when they take place, the land 
and the sea become troubled, and the inhabitants are in des- 
pair. "When such a mountain does speak, it speaks with 
power. In a calamity of this nature, God is man's only re- 
fuge. Of the earthquakes, one of the most remarkable de- 
scribed in history is that which happened in 1693. Its mo- 
tion was perceived in Germany, France and England, but 
Sicily was the chief sufferer. It extended to a circumference 
of 2,600 leagues, and no fewer than 54 cities, with an incre- 
dible number of villages, were either destroyed or greatly 
damaged. The city of Catania, in particular, was completely 
overthrown. The sea suddenly began to roar, Mount iEtna 
to send forth great spires of flame, and soon after a shock en- 
sued, with a noise as if all the artillery in the world had been 
at once discharged. The birds flew about astonished, the sun 
w r as darkened, the beasts ran howling from the hills : and al- 
though the shock did not continue above three minutes, above 
sixty thousand of the inhabitants of Sicily perished in the 
ruins. "When it was over, Catania could not be found. 

CATANIA. 

Catania is situated in a valley near the fout of Mount 
^Etna, and contains a population of about 47,000 souls. The 



SYKACUSE. 69 

city is built almost entirely of lava — even the walls that sur- 
round it are built of this material. Shortly after the destruction 
of the ancient city, (a. d. 1693,) the survivors reared the 
modern Catania upon its ruins. The streets of the new city 
are regularly and handsomely laid out, are straight and wide, 
and are paved with the lava of ^Etna. The attachment of the 
people to their native soil, and their habituation to the dan- 
gers of the volcano, are the reasons assigned for building the 
new city on the same old site. The edifices are noble and 
costly, and the university enjoys a very high reputation. 
Catania has very little commerce. The fiery deluge of ^Etna 
has filled up its harbor, and the finances of the Government 
are too scanty to restore it. 

St. Agatha is the patroness of the city, and on every 
emergency her intercession is implored. 

SYRACUSE. 

Syracuse was founded *736 B. C. and was, in its day, an 
ancient London. It was twenty-two miles in circumference, 
suiTounded by a triple wall, flanked with towers and castles, 
and contained within its compass four separate divisions or 
cities united into one, viz., JEradina, Tyche, Neapolis, and 
Ortygia ; of these four cities, that of Ortygia alone now re- 
mains ; it is about two miles round, and supposed to contain 
14,000 inhabitants. In the zenith of her glory, Syracuse 
maintained in constant pay an army of 100,000 foot and 
10,000 horse, besides a fleet of 400 sail. She did not shrink 
from contending against all the power of Carthage and Rome, 
3* 



70 GIRGENTI. 

and is said to have repulsed fleets of 2,000 sail, and armies of 
200,000 men. Of all this power and magnificence scarcely 
any trace remains. The monuments and temples of the city 
are in ruins, and nothing but desolation salutes the eye. The 
spot is still shown where the house of Archimedes stood, and 
also a tower from which he is said to have set fire to the Ro- 
man galleys with his burning-glasses ; near it is the famous 
fountain of Arethusa ; also a remarkable cavern cut in the 
rock, called the " Ear of Dionysius " fashioned in the form of 
a human ear, 2*7 feet in width, *72 in height, and 219 in 
depth. In this cavern the tyrant Dionysius confined his pri- 
soners, and stationed at its mouth a sentinel, who could hear 
even the whispers of the prisoners, and whose duty it was to 
report them to his master. The echoes of this cavern are 
very loud, even the tearing of a piece of paper occasions a 
great noise. According to a Sicilian author, an eminent mu- 
sician composed a canto for two voices which, when sung 
within the cavern, appeared to be performed by four. 

The sun is said never to have been obscured one whole 
day at Syracuse. 

GIRGENTI. 

This city stands upon a high mountain near the sea-coast, 
and in the vale at its side he the ruins of the ancient Agri- 
gentum. Girgenti occupies only the ground on which the 
ancient citadel once stood. It is a poor town, and obtains its 
chief importance from the ruined temples of Castor and Pol- 
lux, Concord, Juno, and Esculapius, which, ages ago, embel- 
ished the fallen city of Agrigentum. 



SICILY. 71 

SICILY. 

Sicily is the largest and most remarkable island in the 
Mediterranean, and measures 755 miles in circumference. 
The ancients denominated it the " Island of the Sun," and the 
land of the Cyclops. The Greek poets, on account of its ex- 
traordinary beauty and fertility, styled it the " Garden of the 
Hesperides." The number of houses upon the island is esti- 
mated at 268,120, and the population at 1,787,771. The 
mass of the people are poor and without education. It is 
subject to the King of Naples, who governs it by a Viceroy. 
The government is veiy exacting and oppressive, and affords 
scarcely any encouragement to agriculture, manufacture or 
commerce. Sicily has always been distinguished for the re- 
markable luxuriance of its soil, and even in its present imper- 
fect state of cultivation, one good crop, says Brydone, would 
be sufficient to maintain the island seven years. In the 
spring, the flowers of the island are fragrant beyond descrip- 
tion, and the air is so loaded with their perfume that dogs 
lose their scent in hunting over its heaths. The works of 
Homer, Virgil, Cicero, and Milton, abound with many beau- 
tiful allusions in reference to Sicily. The shape of Sicily is 
that of a triangle, and on this account has been called Trina- 
cria; it is full of mountains, and valleys, and fertilizing 
streams. In the early ages, the Sicilians assiduously cultivat- 
ed poetry, sculpture, and painting. Fabricius gives a list of 
seventy Sicilians who have been celebrated in antiquity for 
learning and genius ; there are still able and gifted men scat- 
tered over the island, but they are silent and in the shade. 



72 SICILY. 

The absolute character of the government and the arbitrary 
censorship of the press prevent them from being either seen 
or known — their works are seldom, if ever, published, and 
their voices are unheard. 

Xo paper is issued in Sicily, except a price current, and 
the only authorized journal in circulation, is that entitled 
' ; Journal of the two Sicilies," published at Naples, under the 
official sanction of the King. 

In spite of wars, earthquakes, tyranny and superstition, 
the natural beauty of the island is still the same ; but the 
people are not happy, because, they are without freedom, 
without which, the richest blessings of nature are of little 
value. 

For part of the facts stated in this chapter I ana indebted to Gold- 
smith, Swinburne, and Brydone. 



CHAPTEK XIII. 

The houses of Naples are very high, the average of them 
being five stories, but some have as many as six, seven, and 
eight stories ; in most instances there is a separate owner for 
each story, whereby some difficulty is often experienced in the 
settlement of questions involving the general interests of all 
concerned. The milkmen drive cows and flocks of goats 
through the streets, and milk them at their customers' doors : 
this course secures the delivery of the pure beverage, without 
dilution or adulteration. Families who reside in the elevated 
stories of the highest buildings, expect the goats to ascend 
and be milked in their presence; it is, therefore, quite a com- 
mon thing for me to observe, in my early morning rambles, 
goats, travelling up and down the stairways of the loftiest 
buildings in the city. Every house is called a palace, a desig- 
nation which natters the vanity of the people without imposing 
upon the discrimination of foreigners. The first floor of these 
palaces is generally on a level with the street, and not unfre- 
quently appropriated for the accommodation of carriages, 
horses, and cows. 



74 NAPLES. 

The churches of Naples are, with few exceptions, quite of 
an ordinary character, and, in comparison with those of Sicily, 
scarcely deserve notice or visitation. Their bells are small, 
and sound more like the bells of a factoiy village than those 
of a great capital. All the churches are well supplied with 
large figures of -virgins and saints, carefully inclosed in glass 
cases, and robed in dresses gaudy enough for a theatre. 

The streets and squares in the vicinity of the king's gar- 
den and palace are swept daily, and kept in a very cleanly 
condition ; nevertheless, in a great population there are many 
who are obliged to pursue very humble callings for a liveli- 
hood ; persons of this class are always collecting every thing 
that can be devoted to manuring purposes, and transport- 
ing the same out of the city ; while goats and donkeys, as 
they pass along, "brouse up ".all the green tops and leaves 
of vegetables scattered about the town. Even the rinds of 
oranges and lemons are collected for the extraction of the 
essence, and the stumps of segars are picked up, and retailed 
to be smoked in the pipes of the poor. The lower classes, 
from continual exposure to the sun, are as dark as Indians. 

The children of the fishermen play all day along the shores 
and upon the quays of the city, the little boys wearing only 
one simple garment upon their persons, a coarse tow-cloth 
shirt ; yet they appear happier and healthier than the off- 
spring of the opulent. The hair of all classes is exceedingly 
soft and luxuriant; but the tresses of the females are remark- 
ably beautiful ; they are dark, rich and heavy as the cluster- 
ing fruits of autumn ; a " tricopherous " would be a drug in 
the market ; for in this delightful clime, nature is wont to 



NAPLES. 75 

place such graceful crowns upon the brow, that even age 
itself refuses to deprive the wearer of its beauty. 

In the square before the entrance of the Villa Reale, 
companies of flower-girls are accustomed every afternoon to 
repair with rustic baskets freighted with the most odorous 
nosegays, offering them for sale to all the visitors of the gar- 
den. In their solicitude to secure a disposition of their flow- 
ers, they would occasionally venture to place a choice nosegay 
in the hand or bosom of the visitor, and presume upon his 
courtesy for the acceptance and payment of the offering : this 
procedure would often prove highly successful, but occasion- 
ally they would encounter a refractory individual, who would 
spitefully seize their offering, and either throw it into some 
inaccessible place, or cast it upon the ground, and trample it 
beneath his feet. For myself, I was always a passionate lover 
of flowers, and when these hallowed emblems of the beautiful 
(supposed to be the alphabet of angels) were so persuasively 
offered by the dark-eyed daughters of Italia, there was a 
charm about them which was irresistible ; I preferred their 
flowers to treasures of silver or gold. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

<% ^taatttrtj of ^nntitfii. 

The ruined city of Pompeii is surrounded by an embankment 
formed of the ashes and earth removed in effecting the exca- 
vation of its remains. It is provided with several gates of 
entrance, which are guarded by soldiers, and no person can 
enter within the walls, unless accompanied by a guide, under 
government appointment. 

The country around Pompeii is under a high state of cul- 
tivation, abounding with vineyards, plantations of cotton, and 
fields rich with harvests of fruit and grain. The peasantry 
are chiefly engaged in the pursuit of agriculture, and although 
very poor, are industrious and happy ; as there are no idlers, 
there are no beggars about the place. Every body appeal's 
to be engaged in some useful calling, and apparently accus- 
tomed to depend upon personal exertions for the procurement 
of a livelihood. As soon as the sun rises I meet the peasantry 
upon the road, with well-polished implements of husbandry 
upon then* backs, cheerfully travelling to the fields to com- 
mence the avocations of the day — offering as they pass along 
their respectful salutations, sometimes raising, sometimes re- 
moving, their cone-crowned hats. It is healthful (independent 



THE PEASANTKY OF POMPEII. 77 

of the benefit from air and exercise) to walk abroad in the 
dawn of morning, and experience from a class so useful and 
honorable such friendly marks of consideration. 

The toils of the day they are accustomed to relieve by the 
enlivening influence of vocal melody, and the mutual inter- 
change of every kindly office. Pursuing their avocations in 
a spirit so laudable and commendable, the shades of evening 
find them, without a cloud upon their brows, peacefully 
repairing to their habitations. How reviving, at that interest- 
ing hour, to experience the benefit of their welcome gratula- 
tions, falling like music upon the ear, and imparting a satis- 
faction to the soul, as enduring as the pleasures of memory. 
They love to employ for their evening salutation " felice notte " 
(happy night), a sentiment full of joyful hopes and delightful 
anticipations. I always repose well, after I have been blessed 
with the favorable wishes of these artless laborers of the soil. 

The road which passes by Pompeii is the communicating 
medium with Naples, as well as several important towns 
intersecting its course ; over this road the productions of the 
countiy are transported, which contribute to the subsistence 
of the capital, and its populous dependencies. The heavy and 
numerous trains which perpetually rumble along this grand 
highway give palpable evidence of the agricultural wealth of 
these interesting plains. 

The cheerful and contented disposition of the children of 
the peasantry has often commanded my highest admiration. 
They always appear satisfied, in whatever situation circum- 
stances may place them, and readily accommodate themselves 
to every exigency. During the vernal and summer seasons, 



78 THE PEASANTRY OF POMPEII. 

the little boys seldom wear any tiling beyond a coarse shirt, 
while the dress of the girls is almost as simple. Accustomed 
from their infancy to the practice of active and frugal habits, 
and to breathe the balmy air of their favorite fields, they 
naturally possess uninterrupted health with its usual con- 
comitant advantages. 

The rustic carriages of the country are provided with a 
netting suspended beneath the vehicle, for the reception of 
luggage. When the usual accommodations of the convey- 
ance are occupied by persons of riper years, it is no uncom- 
mon occurrence to see this humble receptacle filled with 
children, manifesting by their simple songg the utmost cheer- 
fulness in their obscure and novel situation. I have also 
observed them equally contented, when transported in the 
huge pockets of the panniers which are borne upon the backs 
of the donkeys. 

So peaceful is the air that pervades this lovely region, 
that the days of the people appear composed of sabbaths, 
and their temporal condition, a beautiful exemplification of 
primeval felicity. 

Impressed with the beneficial tendencies of rural occupa- 
tions, as well as the numerous and exalted advantages arising 
from habits of communion with the works of an Omnipotent 
Author, the language of the poet appeared peculiarly in con- 
sonance with the train of my meditations : 



Th< 



Whom Nature's works can charm, with God himself 
Hold converse ; grow familiar, day by day, 
"With his conceptions ; act upon his plan, 
And form to his the relish of their souls. 



CHAPTEE XV. 

tairons a? Mylm— €§t mm% of fa tea. 

At a distance of twenty-five miles from Naples, tranquilly re- 
posing in the midst of the Apennines, is situated the village 
of La Cava, much famed for its picturesque location, and the 
refreshing temperature of its mountain air. For the means of 
subsistence, the chief dependence of its inhabitants is placed 
upon the manufacture of cotton goods, for which a regular 
demand exists throughout the kingdom. The village itself 
does not contain within its limits any objects of special inter- 
est, its habitations being merely adapted for the comfortable 
accommodation of a frugal and laborious population. 

The local sceneiy of the place, however, presents features 
of such surpassing magnificence, that the most ample satisfac- 
tion may be derived from its studious examination. The 
thoughtful observer, while he views the ruined castles and 
dilapidated remains that crown the surrounding hills, expe- 
riences a forcible conviction of the material difference in res- 
pect to the durability of human works, and the immutable 
creations of a Superior Power. The lofty Apennines, vener- 
able as Time itself, survives the birth of the World without 



80 THE SCENERY OF LA CAVA. 

the indications of decay which mark the Roman and Norman 
edifices scattered upon its breast. 

The skies and hills of Italy continue to afford the same 
pleasure and edification as when her earliest poets strung the 
lyre to celebrate their praise. Nature is still the same, always 
youthful and ever beautiful ; her breath is as sweet and her 
robe as lovely as when first she animated Creation with her 
presence. 

The prospect commanded by the heights of Cava, inde- 
pendent of its possession of the numerous attractions peculiar 
to the scenery of the Italian peninsula, is likewise identified 
with the classical associations of one of the most interesting 
sections of the Roman Empire. Within the range of the 
visible horizon, situations and places being embraced, the very 
allusion to which will continue for ever to challenge the re- 
spect, and secure the consideration of the scholar and histo- 
rian. Napoli, Herculaneum, Pompeii, Stabiae, Paestum, Sor- 
rento, Vesuvio, and Salerno, severally crowding upon the 
mind, luxuriant with the richest recollections of departed cen- 
turies. 

Surrounded by a panorama of such historical interest and 
natural magnificence, the beholder experiences increasing 
pleasure from the continuance 'of his observations. The eye 
dwells with delight on the everlasting hills, embellished with 
terraced vineyards, resembling in appearance the ranging 
seats of a Roman amphitheatre. The terraces are regularly 
studded with young trees, the natural supporters of luxuriant 
vines, which hang suspended in graceful festoons from tree to 
tree ; their interesting and shady appearance incidentally re- 



THE SCENEKY OF LA CAVA. 81 

viving the recollection that it was the favorable concealment 
afforded by garlands of a similar description to the cavalry of 
Kellerman, which enabled that fortunate officer to make the 
decisive and memorable charge, on the field of Marengo, 
which brought victory to the trembling standards of Napoleon. 

The observer, as he continues the consideration of the 
general aspect of the prospect under his examination, is in- 
voluntarily inclined to adopt a military figure as applicable to 
its illustration. The comparison of a battle field presents it- 
self, and he proceeds to distinguish and apprehend the pro- 
minent features which mark its occupation. 

The mountains constitute the tents of the arnty. Among 
them, rising in all its green magnificence, is Vesuvius, the 
tented quarters of the chief in command ; its burning cone 
and cloudy ensign visible from every quarter of the heavens. 
The villages upon its front, all glistening with the glorious re- 
flection of the rising sun, indicate the imperial ciphers of the 
commanding general. The neighboring mountains are the 
tents of the marshals of his staff. The immense plains below 
embrace the vast army itself, arranged in the order of battle. 
The dense groves of the olive and the orange constitute the 
cavalry in close battalion, while the orchards of fruit-bearing 
trees, so regularly arranged in lengthened columns and com- 
pact squares, are the representatives of infantry. The forests 
of lofty poplars, occupying the most retired section of the 
plain, are the " reserved guard," conspicuous as the tallest 
and noblest division of the army. 

Here and there, interspersed in various portions of the 
fields, are trees of funeral cypress, recognizable as the muffled 



82 THE SCENERY OF LA CAVA. 

standards of regiments in mourning for the loss of favorite 
officers. The hamlets which dot the broad expanse, are 
breastworks and fortifications, designed to strengthen impor- 
tant points and to co-operate in the general dispositions of the 
battle. On the right and left are noticeable the ancient 
cities, whose history and geographical position identify them 
with the present illustration. Stabiae and Herculaneum in- 
deed have fallen ; and Pompeii, involved in a similar calami- 
ty, offers merely a circumference of ruins as the surviving me- 
morial of her glory. Psestum also has been overthrown, (the 
princely Paestum !) and the clouds of the south are curtaining 
the lingering representatives of her splendor; but Napoli, 
Salerno and Sorrento remain, glittering in the distance, and 
apparently reserved as the destined prize of War. 



CHAPTEK XVI. 

dimtas of aBopUfi — t a Carta — SntitiBEtal dblwroatta. 

Although not among the favorite resorts of the court and 
fashion of the Neapolitan capital, La Cava has always sus- 
tained a high reputation for the peculiar sublimities of its 
situation, while the contributions of painters in the illustra- 
tion of its scenery have served in some respects to identify 
eminent names with the recollection of the place. It was 
among these wild and romantic hills that Salvator Rosa and 
Poussin repaired to study nature in her grandeur, and among 
them sketched some of those memorable productions which 
have established their claims to an honorable and lasting 
occupation in the pantheon of fame. 

A few miles from the town, amid the loftiest peaks of the 
Apennines, a monastery, called " La Trinita," reared by the 
devotion of the middle ages, lifts its imposing front toward 
the rising sun, and for centuries has remained as the signifi- 
cant representative of the Roman religion. The situation and 
celebrity of this institution were sufficient inducements for the 
insurance of an early visitation. I proceeded thither on All- 
saints day, a day of some celebrity in the calendar of the 



84 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. 

church. Although somewhat familiar with the festival dis- 
plays of the Italian churches, the demonstrations on that 
occasion could not fail materially to heighten my existing 
impressions of Catholic magnificence. Grand and august as 
were the ceremonies which history ascribes to the religion of 
the Caesars, it may be safely questioned whether the altars of 
the Roman empire could have ever exhibited a spectacle of 
superior splendor. The day following, however, was witness 
to a representation of a different description ; it was a day of 
solemn sacrificial expiation for the Catholic dead throughout 
the world ; and the nature of the services introduced afforded 
ample evidence of the serious concern entertained by the 
church for their speedy extrication from the pains of purga- 
tory. After the performance of an imposing high mass, the 
whole strength of the convent, eighty in number, was assem- 
bled around a large bier, erected in the centre of the temple ; 
this bier was covered with an ample pall of rich black velvet, 
embroidered with gold, and upon it reposed a black cushion 
surmounted with a human skull ; gigantic wax lights burned 
around this portable mausoleum, imparting a melancholy 
illumination to the doleful scene. The monks of this convent 
(which is reputed to be one of great wealth) were of the 
Benedictine order, and were dressed in habits of fine black 
cloth, with cowls. As soon as they were provided with 
lighted candles, they simultaneously commenced a solemn 
chant, which they sustained for a great length of time, being 
assisted throughout by the pealing notes of a very powerful 
organ. 

After this, priests in black vestments advanced with vea- 



ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. 85 

sels of burning incense, and as they passed around the bier, 
cast dense volumes of incense upon it, uttering as they passed 
words of grave import, with a \ery deep voice. A large, 
heavy cross, apparently of solid silver, with an image of gold 
upon it, was then introduced, and carried in procession around 
the same object. I remained until all the ceremonies were 
concluded, many parts of which I could not understand, or 
very well describe. At the conclusion of the services, one of 
the sacristans had occasion to go into the repository of sacred 
relics ; the repository occupied the recess of a princely chapel, 
the entrance to which was secured by massive iron doors that 
would have answered for the safety of a Wall-street bank. I 
admired the systematic manner in which the relics were 
labelled and classified ; all the care that would have been 
displayed in the classification of a cabinet of gems was here 
illustrated. They were mostly contained in cases of glass, 
and consisted of small portions of the bones, dust, hair, and 
blood of martyrs and canonized saints, together with various 
curiosities which had at one time belonged to them. Upon 
leaving the monastery, I noticed a painted sign, suspended 
over the door by a cord, upon which were inscribed the 
words " Indulgentia — Plenaria" (plenary indulgence for the 
living and the dead). 

I proceeded then to vist the various churches of the vil- 
lage, in all of which were biers, palls, and skulls, arranged in 
a similar manner, and services of a kindred character in ope- 
ration. I noticed that the crania employed were of an ordi- 
nary description, as though they had been gathered from the 
graves of the undistinguished dead; not of such, however, 



86 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. 

was the cranium which graced the bier of the affluent monas- 
tery of La Trinita ; that was of a truly superior character — 
it was one of a thousand — the skull of skulls. 

Having sufficient time at my disposal, I improved it in 
directing my steps to the neighboring town of Salerno. I 
there saw some things which exceeded all that I had hereto- 
fore beheld. In most of the stores were for sale images of 
human bodies tormented in purgatorial flames ; while in 
every direction were visible companies of people, engaged in 
conveying numbers of them about the streets. I encountered, 
near the door of one church that I entered, two life-sized 
human models almost entirely enveloped in flames ; their 
arms were imploringly extended, as if in supplication for 
relief, while from their hands were suspended money-boxes 
for the reception of contributions. The altars of this church 
fairly glowed with the red figures of burning bodies. 

I noticed that there were some distinguishing marks upon 
many of them, whereby the different professions might be 
easily apprehended; these badges extended to both sexes, 
the old and the young of every condition ; while the presence 
of mitres and sacerdotal vestments indicated, that even cardi- 
nals and pontiffs were liable to some purification. An inter- 
mediate state, in fact, being virtually considered as the com- 
mon lot of the dead. I had not advanced more than half of 
the length of this church, before I encountered two human 
skeletons, one in the right aisle, and the other upon the left, 
both painted entirely black, their bony arms resting upon 
their well-poised bows. These figures, I judged, were em- 
blematical of Death — the relentless archer, whose shafts for 



ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. 87 

so many ages have been the dread of men. I noticed many 
other strange things, but, as they were all of the same gloomy 
description, I shall not introduce them. 

The advantage of the Purgatorial state, in a lucrative point 
of view, is well known ; the revenue from this source alone 
probably exceeding that derived from all other sources put 
together. This is the grand and unfailing reliance of the 
Church of Eome : other expedients have failed, but this has 
always maintained its ground with comparative success. 
Without this invention, the treasures of these countries could 
never have been gathered within her walls, nor could her 
temporal power have become so inordinately extended. For 
hundreds of years, this dogma has influenced the dying wills 
of the wealthy noblemen of Italy and Sicily, who have be- 
queathed their gold, their silver, and their all, for the ques- 
tionable benefit of her intercessions. This system has been 
one of the chief causes which have so much impoverished the 
leading families of these countries, and reduced the descend- 
ants of some to become mendicants at the doors of her 
convents. 

In reference to the legacies for the celebration of masses, 
there appears to be considerable method in the manner of 
their fulfilment. The executors of the estate confer, as soon as 
practicable, with the particular parish church with which the 
deceased was a communicant, and enter into a contract with 
it, for the performance of the number stipulated in the will. 
This contract becomes what the Church calls an " Obligation," 
and the Church proceeds, without loss of time, to discharge it. 
As no priest can offer more than one mass a day, it would be 



88 EXVIEOXS OF NAPLES. 

rather a tedious business where an obligation of one thousand, 
or ten thousand, was to be performed ; to obviate this diffi- 
culty, each church has ten or fifteen altars, and a propor- 
tionate number of priests, and can, where dispatch is desira- 
ble, put almost any force upon the work that might be 
required — fifty or one hundred, or even more, according to 
the urgency of the case. The priest, before offering the 
mass, records his name in a register provided for that pur- 
pose, and specifies for whose benefit the mass is intended ; at 
certain periods, the notary of the church prepares an official 
certificate from this register, of the number performed, which 
is presented to the executors, and upon which the payment 
is made ; the certificate being retained as a voucher for the 
payment. 

In all the large cities there is generally one church which 
has the special charge of the souls of the poor in Purgatory, 
and appeals are daily made, for contributions to defray the 
expense of the masses celebrated in their behalf. 

In Rome, in 1848, as soon as intelligence of the revolu- 
tions in Milan, Sicily, and Paris, arrived, and in like manner, 
as often as intelligence was received of the various victories in 
the cause of Italian Independence, the first thing ordered was 
a glorious illumination for the respective victories, and the 
next thing was an order for a solemn high mass, for the 
repose of the souls of the slain. The obligations for the dead 
alone constitute a material portion of the labor of the Romish 
Clergy. The wealthy have, by their last bequests, imposed 
an amount of sendee upon the Church that would appear 
almost incredible ; some have even stipulated for a perpetual 



ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. 89 

sacrifice of the mass, to go on day after day, and year after 
year, until the Angel of the Apocalypse shall sound the 
death -knell of time. 

Romanism in the agricultural districts appears to better 
advantage than in the populous cities : the attachment of the 
rural classes to their sanctuary and its institutions, is justly 
entitled to commendation. The peasantry uncover their 
heads, and not ^infrequently utter a prayer, as they pass the 
doors of their churches ; while the Sabbath, and the duties 
connected with its observance, are correspondingly regarded. 
Soon after my arrival at La Cava, I inquired for the " Casa 
Rosa," a mansion occupied by a family to whom I had a 
letter of introduction. I found the house, but the heads of 
it had gone out, but were soon expected to return : in the 
meanwhile, the daughters having read the letter, invited me 
to walk in and await the arrival of their parents. The 
daughters were three in number, and in the very flower of 
their youth, and had scarcely been beyond the precincts of 
their native village ; they had not even seen Naples, the 
capital of the dominions of their king, and in their deport- 
ment, manifested all the innocence and sensibility peculiar to 
their situation. Owing to the difficulty of comprehending 
the provincial dialect of the place, I experienced some 
embarrassment at first in conducting a conversation ; to 
obviate this inconvenience, I had recourse to a small pocket 
dictionaiy, which I drew from my pocket, and when any 
particular difficulty occurred, we would all examine the book 
together ; our heads frequently touched in searching for the 
needful words. I was forcibly struck with the aspect of the 



90 ENTIKONS OF NAPLES. 

youngest ; her countenance was exceedingly fair, and beamed 
serene and beautiful as the sky of her beloved Italy. After 
some preliminary remarks, she inquired if I was a Catholic, 
and when I replied that I was not, she thereupon, with all the 
eloquence of her sex, urged me to embrace her religion and 
receive the ordinance of baptism, at the altar of their village 
Chapel. So affected was I by the artless language with which 
she clothed her appeal, that had it related to any other 
sacrifice, save the renunciation of my faith, it could not have 
been resisted. 

No thoughtful observer can survey the venerable churches 
of this interesting peninsula without emotion. The archives 
of history, the works of art, and the dust of millions, are 
under their guardian care. They are the chronicles of the 
past ; some of them dating their origin almost coeval with 
the nativity of Christianity ; having sustained with invincibility 
the violence and ravages of ages. 

In Sicily, Naples, Rome, and Tuscany, times without 
number have I lingered around their adamantine walls, in 
wonder and admiration. As I gazed upon these venerable 
structures, they appeared so battle-worn, so time-worn, and so 
sea-worn, that I likened them unto frigates of Avar, that had 
braved and survived the vicissitudes of innumerable engage- 
ments, and the perils of tempests, and stormy capes, to be 
moored in the nineteenth century, as national arks for refer- 
ence and observation. 

Romanism is allied to antiquity; so is Monarchy; but 
will this consideration be sufficient to secure their supremacy, 
against the encroachments of revolution ? In this age the 



ENVIKONS OP NAPLES. 91 

nations are panting for civil and religious freedom ; and, ever 
and anon, the emblems of independence are waving from the 
towers of Europe : even the capital of the Caesars has been 
aroused from the slumber of centuries, and anthems of 
liberty have been heard upon the banks of the Tiber. 

The cause of truth and the rights of man, are omnipotent, 
and must and will prevail. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The locomotive which conveyed our train to Pisa, was called 
the Galileo, a name deservedly reverenced in Tuscany. As 
soon as I left the cars I hastened to view the famous Leaning- 
Tower, of which travellers have said so much. Its inclination 
did not strike me so forcibly as I expected ; it stands entirely 
by itself, and in its general appearance, reminded me of the 
dismantled mainmast of some stranded flag ship, after her 
decks had been swept, rigging and topsails carried away and 
not a soul on board. The tower is built of white marble, but 
the lapse of six hundred years has sufficed to give a gray, 
sea-worn, character to the structure. 

The Baptistry and Cathedral are very interesting build- 
ings ; they stand in the same neighborhood, and only a few 
feet from each other. I found much satisfaction in botanizing 
among these old edifices. Plants grow upon then steps, and 
also upon their sides and tops. I found that each building- 
had a variety peculiar to itself; thus, those plants which 
clung to the Tower, were of a different species from those 
which flourished upon the Cathedral; the Baptistry also 



pisa. 93 

presented another variety, and the old walls of the city, 
although quite contiguous, still another ; all this was interest- 
ing to me, and I gathered, with considerable care, specimens 
of each for transmission to America. Those plants, however, 
which I coveted most, were in situations so inaccessible, that 
I was obliged to relinquish all hope of securing them, and 
content myself with obtaining possession of such as were more 
immediately within my reach. I noticed workmen busily 
engaged in restoring various portions of the Baptistry. Not- 
withstanding all the care and veneration which man has paid 
to these wonderful structures, time is crumbling their pillars, 
and mantling their walls with the habiliments of age. 
Having seen so much of the internal magnificence of the 
churches of Italy, I have recently ceased to take much 
interest in a minute examination of the innumerable pictures, 
and works of art, with which they are so proverbially embel- 
lished. It is enough for me to remain outside, and to survey 
their battlements, wings, and towers. In fact, I never go 
inside of the Italian churches but I invariably behold such a 
perversion of the common sense intention of the aims and 
objects of Christianity, as to make me altogether disinclined 
to enter again. The churches are filled with pictures, images, 
and relics, and some preposterous legend or miracle is 
connected with the history of them all. The people when 
engaged in worshipping, generally get in front of some 
favorite shrine, and look steadfastly at a representation of 
some saint, fashioned in marble, or painted upon canvas, and 
when they depart approach and kiss it, with the most 
extravagant affection. There appears indeed to be a total 
4* 



94 pisa. 

disregard of all reference to the simple doctrine of the 
Trinity. The whole tendency of the Catholic system, is 
evidently designed to promote and exalt the Virgin Mary and 
a host of Saints, at the expense of the snblime Author and 
Mediator of the universe. To judge of the general character 
of the worship in Italy, one would suppose that the entire 
control and administration of the affairs of this world, and 
all hope of salvation in the world to come, were entirely 
and absolutely at the disposal of the Madonna and the 
Apostles. 

The Alpha and Omega of the Gospel is, to all intents and 
purposes, practically disregarded. The adorable Saviour is 
introduced as a being of secondary consideration, and merely 
indirectly enters into the grand scheme of human redemption. 
Here, in common with all other Catholic cities of the Penin- 
sula, the streets and angles thereof are supplied with images 
and figures of canonized saints and holy virgins ; at night, 
lamps burn before them as an evidence of reverence. Fre- 
quently, companies of old people and youth cluster around 
these things, and pay their devotions beneath them ; credu- 
lously invoking Saint Margaret or Saint Catherine, or some 
other frail being like themselves, instead of invoking the only 
name given under heaven among men whereby they might 
be saved ; the majority of these worshippers, probably never 
raising their thoughts above six feet from the ground, but 
confining them to the carved and painted images which 
human hands have fashioned, and human folly has sanctified. 
How different all this from the sublime thought of communing 
with the Deity himself, of holding audience with the King of 



pisa. 95 

kings, being ushered into his presence upon the simple pass- 
port and mediation, of an ever-living and all sufficient Inter- 
cessor ! It is recorded that St. Paul, on a certain occasion, 
when standing in the midst of Mars Hill, uttered these words : 
" Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too 
superstitious." Could that uncompromising advocate of truth 
but stand in this age on the Palatine mount at Rome, or 
upon the hills of Sicily, Naples, or Tuscany, his faithful voice 
would be heard declaring the same language to the nations 
of Sicily and Italy. 

Although Paganism has for many centuries ceased to be 
the religion of the remarkable countries which anciently com- 
posed the Eoman Empire, nevertheless most of the ceremonies 
and ordinances, together with many of the superstitions 
known to have belonged to the ancients, have been confessedly 
preserved, and adroitly amalgamated with the religion of the 
Cross. So great indeed appear to have been the concessions 
and compromises with the institutions and practices of Pa- 
ganism, that without a good knowledge of the Grecian and 
Roman Mythology, the existing religious condition of the 
Italian peninsula and its dependencies must, at best, be but 
very imperfectly understood. When this circumstance is duly 
considered, in connection with the influence which the tradi- 
tions of the Fathers, and the monkish superstitions of the 
dark ages have notoriously occasioned, the general character 
and composition of the Roman Catholic religion may be 
better comprehended. The system in fact, which the Church 
of Rome proposes for universal reception, differs so materially 
from that which the New Testament unfolds, that the 



96 pisa. 

existence of the one, appears to be incompatible with the 
popular promulgation of the other. 

In the same neighborhood with the leaning-tower is locat- 
ed the celebrated " Campo-Santo" or Holy Field, a noble ded- 
ication to the great men of the Pisan republic. It consists 
of an oblong quadrangular building, with a large open court 
or garden in the centre. The building contains ranges of 
sepulchral monuments of every description, together with 
several chapels for prayer and the sacrifice of the mass. The 
eye becomes weary with the task of deciphering the inscrip- 
tions with which the place abounds, and finally seeks relief in 
a general survey of the whole collection. Tn looking upon 
such extraordinary efforts for the preservation of human dust, 
I thought of the fabled phoenix, the bird which is reputed to 
rise from its ashes, after its body has been consumed by fire ; 
and it appeared to me that men sometimes acted as though 
the safe preservation of the ashes of the departed was abso- 
lutely indispensable in order to secure the appointed resurrec- 
tion of their bodies. 

The walls of this splendid mausoleum are all covered with 
designs, in fresco, of a biblical character — of this collection, 
that which particularly arrested and riveted my attention was, 
the grand tableau of the final judgment. High in the clouds 
was enthroned the Judge, with the Madonna and the Apos- 
tles. To this, there could be no very reasonable objection. 
The angels had blown their trumpets, the dead had arisen, 
and the grand division had been made. I noticed that the 
large group upon the right hand was composed almost en- 
tirely of monks, nuns, popes and Roman Catholic priests. It 



PISA. 9 1 

occurred to me that this was not altogether a very impartial 
representation of the day of judgment. Passing from this, 
I entered into the spacious court, and, in "walking over the 
ground thereof, experienced emotions of no ordinary character. 
I was traversing the soil of Palestine, brought hither by the 
Crusaders in fifty galleys of the Pisan republic. This soil 
had been gathered from Mount Calvary, and from every other 
location sanctified by the birth, history, and crucifixion of 
Him whose advent angels had proclaimed, and whose voice 
even Nature and the grave had obeyed. I collected flowers, 
blades of grass and rose-leaves, and plucked some amaran- 
thine sprigs from the oriental cypress trees with which each 
angle of the court was embellished, and then indulged in 
handling and gathering some of the hallowed earth. As I 
did so, memory recalled the sensations described by the noble 
and eloquent Lamartine when he realized a similar gratifica- 
tion within the borders of the Holy Land itself. 

The next place I visited was the old church of the Knights 
of Saint Stephen. From its walls were suspended a large 
collection of banners, captured by the warriors of Pisa from 
the Turks and Saracens. I counted nearly a hundred, some 
of which were very beautiful, and richly embroidered with 
oriental imagery. The staffs of these standards were capped 
with golden balls, turbans, spear-heads, and shining crescents. 
In these old countries the trophies of war and religion are 
commonly treasured in the same temple. A favorable oppor- 
tunity at this moment occurred of paying another visit to the 
Leaning-Tower, and I immediately embraced it — memorable 
objects are seldom visited too often. The ascent of the tower 



98 pisa. 

is by spiral outside flights of stairs. Its altitude is 196 feet, 
and its inclination, eleven feet and three inches. In due time 
I reached the top, and eagerly took a sweeping view of the 
surrounding panorama. I felt as if I were at the mast-head 
of a ship — high in the clouds, among rushing winds and 
azure fields. Oh ! how inspiring is it to stand upon the tops 
of towel's, upon the cones of mountains, and upon the domes 
of temples ! It is then that the soul begins to think of its na- 
tive skies, and to plume its unfettered wings for Immortality ! 

The summit of this venerable edifice was witness to many 
of the experiments of Galileo, the great Tuscan philosopher, 
w 7 ho astonished and startled Europe by the "boldness and sub- 
limity of his discoveries. The most illustrious men in past 
and present times have ascended its steps, and from its lofty 
pinnacle looked abroad upon the smiling face of nature. 

In gazing towards the west, my attention was directed to 
an old square tower (about three miles distant), which mark- 
ed the borders where the great sea had been. In the middle 
ages, Pisa was a maritime city, and her navy commanded the 
respect of nations. I turned my eyes to the east, to catch a 
glimpse of the spires of Florence, but the Apennines inter- 
posed to bar the view. I looked below, and there were the 
winding Arno, and the different new railroads of Tuscany, 
rapidly engaged in the circulation of life and enterprise through 
the kingdom. Toward the north, were the dark forests and 
green meadows of the Grand Duke, animated by thousands 
of cattle and noble horses, and a large company of camels, 
leisurely browsing in the fields, whose progenitors had been 
brought by the old Crusaders from the land of Palestine. I 



pisa. 99 

looked once more unto the west (the region of hope and 
promise), and there was Leghorn with its commerce, and the 
flag of my country waving in the breeze ! I cast my eye 
upon the blue billows of the Mediterranean, and lo ! — covered 
with clouds, the emblem of his glory, glistened Corsica, the 
island which gave birth to the mighty Napoleon ; while at 
its side, verging toward the Italian coast, arose Elba, its minor 
sister, which welcomed the fallen warrior to her breast, when 
the tide and storm of battle had driven his exhausted eagles 
from the continent. 

With lively emotions, I descended and left the tower, but 
the recollections and impressions of the place cannot pass 
away. They will be garnered by memory and embalmed by 
time. 



CHAPTEE XVIII. 

Carrara— farjana— ipjia. 

Carrara is indebted for its importance to the valuable mar- 
ble quarries with which its mountains abound. The treasures 
of these mountains appear to have been discovered at a very 
early period, and to have furnished marble for the construc- 
tion and embellishment of the most remarkable temples of 
the Roman empire. In modern times, by the facilities of 
commerce, the marble of Carrara has been scattered through- 
out the world. The banks of the Potomac and the shores of 
the Ganges are supplied with monuments from its quarries. 
Extensive, however, as have been the demands heretofore ful- 
filled by them, they are, nevertheless, still capable of supplying 
the wants of future ages. The mountains are about two 
leagues in extent, and, from their base to their summits, 
are entirely of marble. Some of the more elevated quarries 
are visible at a considerable distance, and may be distin- 
guished by the white appearance which they present. Except 
for this circumstance, the eye would almost fail to notice their 
existence. Some of them have been worked for more than 
two thousand years ; yet, so comparatively slight are the 



CARRARA. 101 

excavations effected in them, that the beholder feels that man 
has, at best, but merely mutilated the earth's surface only a 
little deeper than his own grave will be. The population of 
Carrara is about four thousand, the principal portion of whom 
are, directly or indirectly, connected with operations in mar- 
ble. There are upwards of twelve hundred workmen engaged 
in the departments of quarrying and transportation. Besides 
this, there are forty studios in the town, some of which are 
filled with choice works of art. 

Carrara has produced some great sculptors. It has an 
Academy of Sculpture for the instruction of youth of promis- 
ing talents. Among the models in the hall of the Academy, 
are those of Prince Oscar, and Bernadotte, of Sweden ; also 
those of Vasco de Gama and Napoleon. That of Napoleon 
is a copy of the celebrated colossal statue in Apsley House, 
the town residence of the Duke of Wellington. It is denuded 
of clothing, and represents the great man as nature made 
him. The churches of Carrara, as well as the theatre, are all 
built of the choicest marble. The theatre has three galleries, 
supported by fifty small columns of white marble. The boxes 
of the nobility are of the same material. The houses of the 
poor, as well as the mansions of the wealthy, are supplied 
with effigies of saints over the door, which, instead of being 
painted, are all sculptured out of virgin marble of immaculate 
whiteness. 

The marble for exportation is conveyed by teams of oxen 
to the sea-coast, some miles distant, and there embarked in 
lighters to be carried to Leghorn for shipment. The trans- 
portation to the coast is thus, it will be perceived, conducted 



102 CARRARA. 

in the same primitive manner as in the times of old. No 
railroad has ever been projected to expedite the business. 

In the chief square of the town stands a massive statue of 
Maria Beatrice, one of the late sovereigns of the principality, 
whose virtues have preserved her figure without injury during 
the revolutions that prostrated the statues of contemporary 
princes. While looking at this statue, my attention was 
diverted to the consideration of an itinerant dentist, who, by 
means of a trumpet, was summoning the people around a 
neighboring stand to hear him deliver a lecture on teeth. 
The whole town turned out and mustered itself under the 
sound of his voice. He first showed his credentials, written 
upon a roll of parchment, from which it appeared that he had 
served in his professional capacity several European princes, 
and had been in Africa, and rendered good service to some 
distinguished men in that country. He then introduced the 
skeleton of a boy, and, as he proceeded in his lecture, used it 
for the illustration of his dental anatomy. 

When he had finished his lecture, he invited such as had 
need of his services to mount upon the platform, and submit 
to the needful operation upon the spot. There was, at first, 
much backwardness in complying with the invitation, but at 
length some of the boldest ventured forward. This encouraged 
others, and the example became so general, that by sunset he 
had extracted nearly all the old teeth in the town. The prac- 
titioner was evidently a man of large experience. He proved 
this to general satisfaction by the exhibition of a candle-box 
full of human teeth. He wore a cross upon his breast, which, 
from its singular appearance, T judged to indicate some new 



CARRARA. 103 

order of merit. Upon a closer examination and inquiry, I 
discovered that it was nothing less than a cross manufactured 
out of the teeth of his patients. 

In passing through Pisa on my way to Carrara, I met 
" Powers " the sculptor, who was proceeding to the quarries to 
order marble. Powers, after regarding with an attentive eye 
the crowds of fashionable ladies traversing the streets of Pisa, 
said, with much emphasis, " How many beautiful ladies you 
have here!" "Ah!" replied I, "Italy is full of them." I 
reminded him that the day was a festa, and the display was, 
from that circumstance, such as might naturally be expected. 
He then observed, that the ladies of Italy were indeed truly 
beautiful, and possessed busts of almost faultless perfection ; 
"but," added he, "they lack one thing, and that is, the 
beauty of mind which distinguishes the ladies of America." 

The studio of this great sculptor in Florence, interested 
me very much. It is divided into two departments, the rough 
and the finish. These departments are disconnected from 
each other, and are situated on opposite sides of the same 
street. His own time is chiefly passed in the latter. He 
accompanied me over the way to show me the former. As 
soon as I entered the door, I saw that he was doing a thriving 
business : Eve, Calhoun, and Washington were all under way 
together, and fragments of marble were flying about so 
thickly, that I expected every moment some of them would 
put my eyes out. 

While in Florence, I formed an acquaintance with a ven- 
erable English artist, who had passed thirty years in Italy. I 
spoke to him about Powers, and, by way of ascertaining his 



104 SARZANA. 

opinion of this distinguished sculptor, I observed, by way of a 
feeler, " Powers, I believe, is considered one of the first of the 
American sculptors in Florence." " The first of the American 
sculptors in Florence," exclaimed the old gentleman, drawing 
himself up, and looking at me with marked surprise ; " why, 
he goes ahead of all the sculptors in Italy. Thank Heaven," 
continued he, " genius is universal ; it is neither confined to 
Italy nor to Europe, but may be found in the new world as 
well as the old." 

After leaving Carrara, the first town of consequence on 
the route to Genoa, is Sarzaua. This town is of great anti- 
quity, and contains eight thousand inhabitants. It offers 
several beautiful walks for promenade, and is distinguished 
as the birth-place of Nicholas V., one of the greatest popes 
who ever wore a mitre or shook a crosier. From a simple 
monk he rose to eminence, and in 144*7 was elected to the 
pontificate. When I was in Eome, I saw his name chiselled 
upon the walls and facades of many of its most remarkable 
monuments, in the following manner, viz. : Nicholas V., P. M. 
At first I read the inscription, Nicholas V., Post-Master, but 
afterwards learned that the proper reading should be, Nicho- 
las V., Pontifex Maximus. 

The chief hotel in Sarzana is called " Hotel New- York," 
and it in every respect deserves the title it bears. The people 
of Italy are somewhat weary of old names for houses of enter- 
tainment. Such names as Hotel Europe — Hotel France, 
Great Britain, <fec, are so common and so notorious as to have 
ceased to produce the proper effect. There is a New- York 
hotel at Naples, and another at Leghorn ; while under the 



SPEZIA. 105 

shadow of the leaning-tower of Pisa may be found an Ameri- 
can coffee-house. 

At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Sarzana 
was the residence of Louis Marie Fortune Bonaparte, the 
head of Napoleon's family, who went over to Corsica in 1612, 
during the war against the Genoese, and settled at Ajaccio. 
Italia claims Napoleon as her favorite son. It was in her 
language that he began to speak, and from her did his genius 
spring. 

The succeeding town beyond Sarzana is Spezia, with 
about eight thousand inhabitants, situated on a large gulf 
formed by the waters of the Mediterranean, and constituting 
one of the largest harbors in Italy. Napoleon, in his power, 
designed this as the naval station of his empire. It is, at 
present, the constant and favorite resort of vessels of war from 
all countries. The heights, shores, and sea-view of Spezia are 
so beautiful, that the eye is never weary of gazing upon them. 
Its shores are margined with groves of trees, which, in the 
autumn, shed beds of yellow leaves upon the ground. Homer 
has compared man to a leaf, because, like the leaves of the 
forest, men are always falling to the earth, gravitating to the 
grave. 

The cathedral contains a painting of much reputation, 
which was taken to Paris by the French, but afterwards 
recovered by its rightful owners. 

When at Rome, a lady called my attention to the loss 
sustained by the galleries of Italy from the heavy exactions o* 
the revolutionary armies of France. In reply, I expressed 
much surprise, and observed that I was under the impression 



106 SPEZIA, 

that, by the terms of the treaty of 1814, the government of 
France had been compelled to restore all that had been taken 
from Italy. True,- rejoined the lady, they were restored, but 
never returned. She then explained, that, as the treaty did not 
stipulate for the expenses of transportation of these works to 
the galleries of their original owners, and as these expenses 
were heavy and the means of their owners very limited, it fol- 
lowed that a large part of the pictures and of the statuary 
became, through, sale or negotiation, the property of France. 

The mountains and heights of Spezia exhibit the remains 
of extensive works of defence. Grass and wild-flowers are 
now growing luxuriantly upon them. The ruins materially 
heighten the picturesque character of the gulf. The loftiest 
mountain commanding the harbor is crowned with an unfin- 
ished fortification, planned under the direction of Napoleon. 
Gray shrubs mantle the summit of this noble mountain, and 
cover its top as with a garment, while the fortress reposing 
so tranquilly above, bears in its appearance some resemblance 
to the military chapeau of a general. 

Whenever I looked upon the fort and its hoary mantle, 
I thought of the gray coat of Marengo and the cocked hat 
of Eylau. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

GUia. 

The Island of Elba may be said to date the commencement 
of its celebrity from the time of its selection as the residence 
of the Emperor Napoleon. 

Antecedent to that remarkable event, the history of Elba 
presents but ordinary claims to general consideration. The 
island is about sixty miles in circumference, and so exceeding- 
ly mountainous as to resemble the bosom of the ocean when 
agitated by the breath of the tempest. The population is 
estimated at about 14,000. The people are frugal and in- 
dustrious, and exhibit no public manifestations of mendicity. 
The exportations consist chiefly of wines, iron, and salt. Its 
iron ore has been famous from the days of Virgil ; so ferru- 
ginous, indeed, is the general character of the island, that the 
compasses of vessels approaching the coast frequently suffer 
material derangement on that account. 

The capital is Porto Ferrajo, situated upon a lofty moun- 
tain, commanding a fertile valley, interspersed with numerous 
villas and country-houses. The citadel and fortifications of 
the capital are of great strength, and at present are garrisoned 
by about 900 soldiers. Accompanied by the American con- 



.08 ELBA. 

sul, Signor Paccucci, I was permitted to make a cursory ex- 
amination of these works. Fort Stella, from its immediate 
vicinity to the late imperial residence, engaged my chief at- 
tention. The guns of this fort are thirty-six pounders ; upon 
the seaward angle of the premises stands a lighthouse, built 
of granite. I here encountered an old, weather-beaten officer, 
who from his youth had been intrusted with the custody of 
the tower. It was interesting to salute this old veteran and 
listen to his rehearsal of past events. He entertained a lively 
recollection of Napoleon, and his language would kindle with 
enthusiasm as he recalled to mind the incidents connected 
with the Imperial administration of Elba. 

Below the Stella Fort is situated Fort Saint Joseph, the 
guns of which are classed as eighty pounders. I here saw an 
old mortar, marked "Republique Francaise, 1793," cast at 
Toulon. This was a somewhat unexpected discovery, and 
conveyed a profitable moral upon the political vicissitudes of 
nations. Within the limits of half a century France had been 
ruled by Directors, Consuls, Emperors and Kings ; but they 
had passed away, and the republic had been again proclaimed 
as the chosen government of the people. 

I noticed other mortars upon which were engraved the 
arms and cipher of Napoleon, " N." One mortar bore the 
name of " Titus," and another that of " Tilsit." 

The palace occupied by Napoleon is situated upon the 
top of a hill, between the Falcon citadel and the Stella for- 
tress. It has a garden attached to it, and in its general ap- 
pearance is by no means either ostentatious or imposing ; in- 
deed it reminded me very much of the houses occupied by 



ELBA. 109 

the professors of the military academy at West Point. It is a 
plain, yellow painted, two story stone mansion ; the rear ap- 
proaching the sea and well defended by five heavy field- 
pieces mounted upon a battery, contiguous to which are seve- 
ral pyramids of cannon balls, in convenient readiness for ser- 
vice. All the windows of the house are supplied with green 
Venetian blinds. The windows upon the first floor are quite 
small, but those of the second story are large and high. The 
house has a wing on each side, and a large sun-dial upon the 
front. The governor of the island is at present the occupant 
of this abode, and a sentinel is stationed night and day before 
the door. Upon a neighboring hill are several powder maga- 
zines, which present a very singular appearance, standing as 
they do very prominently in view, with towering obelisks as 
the supporters of their lightning conductors. 

The streets are narrow ; most of them are terraces cut out 
of the rocks. The whole city lies upon the steep side of a 
hill, somewhat similar to the situation of Newburg upon the 
Hudson River. Horses and carriages are almost unknown. 
The needful transportation is performed by donkeys. There 
are no imposing buildings in the place. The houses are of a 
pale yellow ochre color, rather low, and roofed with coarse, red 
tiles. The gates of the city are closed at an early hour, and 
the people soon close their stores and retire to rest. The 
names of the streets appeared to me somewhat novel ; for ex- 
ample, Via degli Ebrei, Street of the Hebrews ; Via del Para- 
diso, Street of Paradise ; Via del Amore, Street of Love ; Via 
del Pretorio, Street of the Pretorian. The shipping of the 
port is composed chiefly of small vessels, I counted 12 of 
5 



110 ELBA. 

about 150 tons, and noticed another of about the same ton- 
nage upon the stocks ; the remainder were all " lateenas," a 
species of coasting craft peculiar to the Mediterranean. The 
population of the city is about 5,000. It contains three 
churches and one small theatre, besides a casino. The casino 
comprises a ball room, and apartments, wherein may be found 
the daily French and Italian journals, as well as maps and a 
few standard books upon statistics, geography and politics. 
I noticed upon the walls a rich representation in gold of Bo- 
naparte's return from Elba, dated 20th March. 1815. The 
island is at present under the Tuscan government, and the 
most abandoned convicts of Tuscany are transported hither, 
to labor for the benefit of the state. In company with the 
consul I visited the various working departments as well as 
the cells and dungeons of the prisoners. It was painful to see 
so many able-bodied men clanking then chains in hopeless 
captivity. The crimes of the prisoners are ah lettered on the 
backs of the garments which they wear ; and, as the penalty 
of capital punishment has been abolished in Tuscany, the 
darkest catalogue of transgressions is continually in locomotion. 

In wandering along the sea-shore, some distance beyond 
the city walls, I passed over the Jewish burial-ground ; the 
premises were without enclosure, and the graves were almost 
bathed by the silver foamed waves. The aspect of the place 
was truly desolate, and appeared mournfully in keeping with 
the rejected condition of the Jewish nation. 

The villa of Napoleon is at Saint Martino, a small hamlet 
about four miles distant from the city. It is situated in the 
bosom of one of the most beautiful vallevs in the island ; the 



ELBA. Ill 

front view commands the harbor and the entire city of Porto 
Ferrajo, while upon the right and left, mountains of exceeding 
majesty lift their lofty summits for its protection. The adja- 
cent grounds are embellished with groves of the orange, the 
olive, and the lemon, all burdened with golden fruit ; while in 
the garden, flowers of every hue unfold their perfections, and 
perfume the air with the aroma of an earthly Paradise. 

The villa itself is a plain, low, white stone house, with an 
unusual number of windows, which are all supplied with green 
Venetian blinds. The first story is of no account, being mere- 
ly intended as a basement accommodation. The second, 
which is only a few feet above the ground, contains two grand 
rooms in the centre, (front and rear,) and three smaller rooms 
on each side thereof, making eight in all upon that floor. 
The walls of the front grand centre-room are painted in grace- 
ful imitation of drapery, ingeniously represented as supported 
by spears, the heads of which are crowned with garlands of 
evergreen. Upon the mantelpiece I noticed marble busts of 
Prince Bacciochi and the Princess Elisa, his consort. 

The ceiling of the rear grand centre-room appears covered 
with clouds, full of mystery and grandeur, while the surround- 
ing walls are embellished in thorough oriental style. Egypt 
was before me with her pyramids, pillars, obelisks, hierogly- 
phics, camels, palms, priests, and sacred birds. These views 
transported me to the banks of the Nile, and I lived again 
among the Egyptian victories of the French conqueror. The 
sleeping apartment of Napoleon is of the ordinary size and 
looks out upon the hills and forts of the city. The walls are 
of a pale slate color, and ornamented with eagles, which bear 



112 ELBA. 

in their beaks the glory and cipher of the Emperor. The 
villa is still the property of the Bonaparte family, but the ori- 
ginal furniture has long since been conveyed to Paris ; the 
few things that remain are of subsequent introduction. As I 
turned to take a last lingering look at the premises, the aged 
gardener approached, and presented me with a branch of 
myrtle. He could not have selected a more judicious or sea- 
sonable offering ; and I need scarcely say that it was received 
with emotions of unspeakable gratification. 

The residence and reign of Napoleon upon the island of 
Elba, continued about ten months ; but those few months 
have sufnced to embalm his memory among the most affec- 
tionate recollections of this estimable people. Upon his arri- 
val on the 4th of May, 1814, in the haven of Porto Ferrajo, 
an immense multitude hastened from all the cantons of the 
island, to greet their Emperor. The British frigate "Un- 
daunted," which had conveyed him to the port, was imme- 
diately surrounded by a great number of small boats, filled 
with musicians and decorated with banners. As soon as her 
cannon announced his departure for the city, the artillery of 
the forts responded, and the ciy Vive VEmpereur ascended 
from her yards, to be repeated by the boats and prolonged 
by the shores and hills adjacent to the capital. Upon landing 
at the pier the civic authorities and chief citizens formally 
submitted to him, and at the same time presented him with 
the keys of the city, in a basin of silver. The clergy then 
advanced and received the person of the new sovereign under 
a grand baldachino (canopy), and proceeded in state to the 
cathedral, through a double file of National Guards. The 



ELBA. 113 

balconies were all hung with rich tapestry, and special services 
were performed in the church. He was afterward conducted 
to the municipal palace, where were presented to him in a 
rich basin a map and a plan of Elba, and other things con- 
nected with the illustration of its affairs. In the evening the 
city was brilliantly illuminated, which was repeated for two 
nights, while fires of joy were simultaneously kindled through- 
out the country. In the midst of these joyful festivities the 
artillery of the forts announced the elevation of the new na- 
tional standard ; consisting of a red bend dexter, in a white 
field, the bend bearing three bees. Those days formed the 
golden-age of Elba. Under the sceptre of Napoleon, the isl- 
and became the nucleus of action and enterprise. Hills, har- 
bors, and highways were improved, and new life diffused into 
the social and political institutions of the people. 

One of his first, and perhaps most characteristic undertak- 
ings, is that recorded relative to the extension of his dominions 
by the occupation and colonization of the uninhabited isle of 
Pianosa. This little island, only three miles in breadth, lies 
about nine and a half miles to the southward of Elba ; it is 
very low and irregular in its formation, and covered with 
shrubs. " He sent thirty of his guards with ten of the inde- 
pendent company belonging to the island, upon this expedi- 
tion, (what a contrast to those which he had formerly direct- 
ed,) sketched out a plan of fortifications, and then remarked 
with complacency, ' Europe will say that I have already made 
a conquest !' " 

History tells us that on a certain occasion, " as he climb- 
ed a mountain above Porto Ferrajo, and saw the ocean ap- 



114 ELBA. 

proach its foot in almost every direction, the expression broke 
from him, accompanied by a good-humored smile, i It must 
be confessed my isle is very little.' " His body-guard as Em- 
peror of Elba consisted of about 700 infantry and 80 cavalry. 
In the zenith of his glory the grand army under his command 
exceeded a million of men. The dominion of Elba was too 
limited for the career of Napoleon. He embarked for France 
in March, 1815, and after the reverses of Waterloo, found a 
grave in the island of St. Helena. Great men, upon leaving 
this world, have generally left their mantle to some successor ; 
but Bonaparte never left his mantle to any body. He knew 
very well that there never would be any body capable of 
wearing it, and therefore kept it to himself, to wear through 
all eternity. 



CHAPTEK XX. 

Itsits to p Station lattle fnlh of lapoleoE— Hamgo, 

The battle-fields of Napoleon will always command the 
attention of travellers and historians. The names of those 
fields have become memorable throughout the world, and 
their influence will endure Coeval with the memory of 
Napoleon. 

The battle which gave immortality to the field of Marengo 
occurred on the 14th day of June, a. d. 1800. The French 
on that day were commanded by Bonaparte ; the Austrians 
by Melas. The force of the French may be estimated at 
about 20,000 men ; the reserve of Desaix upon its arrival, 
might make the whole amount to 30,000. The Austrians 
attacked with nearly 40,000 combatants. 

Bonaparte's right rested on the village of Marengo, his 
left on the small village of Castel Ceriolo. These villages are 
about half an hour's walk from each other. The Austrians 
crossed the Bormida, a river in the rear, at an early hour, and 
having made a detour around Castel Ceriolo, attacked Ma- 
rengo with great fury at seven o'clock in the morning. 
Marengo was bravely defended by the French, but, after 



116 MARENGO. 

having been taken and retaken several times remained in the 
hands of the Austrians. The French troops were driven out 
in disorder and compelled to fall back upon the second line, 
commanded by Lannes. This was about 9 a. m. As the 
struggle continued the aspect of affairs grew worse. The 
French gave way in every direction, and at length were 
obliged to change their entire order of battle, and to retreat 
with considerable precipitation upon the little village of Saint 
Juliano. Things looked about deplorable enough until toward 
four o'clock, when Desaix arrived at St. Juliano with the 
reserve and revived the confidence of the French. 

It is recorded that when that distinguished officer sur- 
veyed the vast plain of Marengo, covered with flying troops, 
and Bonaparte himself in full retreat, he thought that all 
must be lost, and addressing the Fust Consul said to him, 
" The battle is lost, I suppose I can do no more than secure 
your retreat." " By no means," answered Bonaparte, " the 
battle is, I trust, gained ; the disordered troops which you see 
are my centre and left, whom I will rally in your rear. Push 
forward your column." The moral influence of Napoleon 
upon the field of battle is well known. It has been said that 
when he appeared among his soldiers his presence was equal 
to a reinforcement of ten thousand men. Never was that 
influence more potential than upon the field of Marengo. 
" Soldiers," exclaimed he, as his war-horse bore him swiftly 
along their recovered ranks, " you have retired far enough. You 
know it is my custom to sleep upon the field of battle." The 
soldiers responded with shouts of enthusiasm, and immediately 
advanced to the charge. The attack that . followed bore 



MARENGO. 117 

down all opposition. The Austrians were defeated with 
great loss, and driven beyond the banks of the Bormida. 
Prisoners, cannon, and standards, were taken, and before 
sunset, the victor dictated terms of peace, from his quarters 
upon the field of battle. After a result so decisive, the 
presence of Bonaparte was no longer requisite in Italy. He 
accordingly returned to Paris, where he was received with all 
the acclamations due to a great conqueror. The passage of 
the Alps, and the important victory which secured Italy to 
the French Republic, had all been accomplished in a cam- 
paign of less than two months. Contemporary with this 
great achievement the name of Marengo became magical in 
France. The largest vessel of the Republic was selected to 
bear the name, while " Rivaud," the commissioner of war, 
proposed still farther to commemorate the event by the 
construction of a grand city upon the plain itself, to be called 
the " City of Victory." The subsequent wars of Napoleon, 
and the magnitude of his other undertakings, postponed and 
frustrated the execution of the design. But an examination 
of the plan is sufficient to show that, had the enterprise been 
carried out, the proposed city would have been classed 
among the most beautiful and remarkable in Europe. In the 
year 1805, Napoleon, after his coronation as Emperor of the 
French, paid a special visit to the field of Marengo. 

The people of the adjacent district will never forget that 
memorable visit. It is treasured among the historical recol- 
lections of the place. Arrangements for his reception had 
for some time been in preparation ; thirty-four battalions and 
seven squadrons were in readiness on the field to greet him? 
5* 



118 MAEENGO. 

and, pursuant to appointment, to imitate the manoeuvres of 
the battle which had given such a lustre to its name. On 
the morning of the 5th of May, 1805, the Emperor appeared 
with the Empress at his side, in a most magnificent chariot, 
drawn by eight horses and surrounded by all the pomp of the 
empire. Many of the veterans who had been engaged in the 
action were present. The hero and his consort, amid shouts 
of triumph, ascended a lofty throne, and from that command- 
ing eminence beheld an effective representation of the battle. 
When the feigned combat was over, crosses of honor were 
distributed among the most distinguished soldiers, as they 
appeared and defiled before him. 

The field of Marengo remained without change or im- 
provement until the year 1847, when Signor Giovanni Delavo, 
of Alessandria, a passionate admirer of the Emperor, pur- 
chased the ground, and with it the cottage in which Napoleon 
rested, and wrote to the Emperor of Austria after the battle. 
This gentleman, with a view to contribute to the interesting 
character of the place, immediately constructed an elegant 
and commodious mansion upon the spot. From historical 
considerations he preserved the walls, foundations, and cham- 
bers of the cottage, and admitted them as a constituent part 
of his new edifice. The old oblong building upon the right 
was at the same time enlarged, and so fashioned as to 
become an auxiliary embellishment to the premises. The 
mansion of Signor Delavo stands about thirty feet from the 
main road. In the area before his residence, took place on 
the 14th of June, 184*7, the anniversary of the battle, the 
inauguration of a colossal statue of Napoleon. The festival 



MARENGO. 119 

celebrated in honor of the day, and the event, is represented 
to have been transcendently magnificent. It was a demonstra- 
tion worthy of the field, and worthy of him who conquered 
upon it. 

On the 26th of December, 1848, General Forti, com- 
mander of the Lombard troops in the Sardinian army, passed 
them in grand review before this statue. Pointing to it, he 
said, " Soldiers, do you know this general \ He was a son of 
Italy ; in our plains he more than once trod under foot the 
enemy (Austria) who now insults us, and more than once 
passed as a conqueror through the cities. Cannot the land 
produce a hero to resemble him P The soldiers thereupon 
cried, " Viva Italia." 

Without farther comment I propose now to submit, as 
concisely as possible, a description of my recent visit to this 
memorable place. My companions were soldiers, and as soon 
as we reached the site, we all by common consent took 
off our hats and did reverence to the memoiy of Napoleon. 

Marengo lies about half way between Genoa and Turin, 
and the mansion of Signor Delavo is one of the most distin- 
guished objects upon the plain. At a distance it appeared to 
me like a piece of Rome. The house itself is three stories high. 
The upper stories contain nine front windows each ; the lower 
story is even with the ground, and divided in the centre by a 
wide hall, which passes through from front to rear. The 
building externally is of a reddish stone color, and has rows 
of columns painted in relievo upon its face. The figure of 
Murat is seen standing among them upon the right, and the 
figure of Kellerman upon the left. The old oblong edifice 



120 MARENGO. 

upon the Turin side is of the same reddish hue, and over 
its broad surface is delineated the prospect of a terrace 
adorned with vases of flowers. The columns of a temple are 
also visible, with niches occupied by the effigies of Berthier 
and Bessieres; likewise a lofty dome lifting its cone to 
heaven. The spacious area before the residence of Signor 
Delavo is of a square form, with gravelled walks, and contains 
in the centre a beautiful circular grass-plot, in the midst of 
which, resting upon a large block of granite, rises the colossal 
marble statue of Napoleon. Low granite posts, hung with 
chains, surround the base of the monument, and serve for its 
defence. The attitude of Napoleon is one of great compo- 
sure. His head is uncovered, his right hand is placed upon 
his breast, his left rests upon his sword. At his feet is placed 
a cannon, partially covered by the folds of a banner. He is 
represented as he appeared when First Consul, and as such is 
habited in the uniform of a French general, with his waist 
cinctured by a broad flowing sash. The statue was executed 
by Cacciatore, a celebrated sculptor of Milan, at an expense 
of about six thousand francs. The railing which separates 
the area from the main road, is of iron ; the intermediate 
supporting columns are moulded in the form of Roman fasces, 
capped -with the battle-axe. 

Having thus disposed of the front part of the building, 
I proceed to describe what is of note within. Upon enter- 
ing the mansion, the wall upon the right-hand side of the 
hall exhibits in fresco the portraits of Soult, St. Cyr, and 
Victor ; and upon the left, those of Massena, Lannes, and 
Marmont. Turning to the left, after passing through an 



MARENGO. 121 

anteroom, the visitor is ushered into the original front cham- 
ber of the cottage. The entrance to this apartment has over 
the door a gold wreath, inclosing the cipher of Napoleon. 

This chamber has been dedicated as a museum for the 
reception of the memorials, which from time to time have 
been gathered from the field of battle. Its walls and ceiling 
are completely studded with the relics of Marengo ; swords, 
scabbards, broken swords, and broken scabbards, bayonets, 
and bayonet-sheaths, rusty and dusty, cross-belts and belt- 
plates, helmets and horse-bits, straps of leather and belts of 
leather, buttons, lances, and broken spears ; bullets and balls, 
of all sizes, from that of a man's head to a pill ; one bomb 
still charged ; fragments of balls, and pieces of bombs ; guns, 
firelocks, ramrods, and soldiers' caps. The ceiling has a 
complement of guns, arranged in the form of an immense 
star, with a blue French drum in the centre, with the drum- 
sticks and the tall red plume of the drummer attached. 
Besides the guns upon the wall, I counted about fifty others 
distributed in military order in a circular stand adapted for 
the pnrpose. Upon the mantel-piece rests the beaver of an 
Austrian major of infantry, edged with a broad gilt band ; 
also ten gilded eagles that adorned the throne of Napoleon, 
when he held the grand review upon the field in 1805, on 
his way to assume the iron crown at Milan. Over the fire- 
place is suspended an engraved design of the original plan 
for a pyramidal monument in honor of Desaix, and of the 
brave men who perished with him in the battle. Under the 
front window is placed the pine table upon which Napoleon 
wrote to the Emperor of Austria after the battle. In the 



122 MARENGO. 

drawer of the table is kejrt the ink-stand which he used on 
the occasion ; also an ebony frame containing several of the 
gold coin issued by him in commemoration of the victory. 
The words upon the pieces read — 

"L'ltalie delivree a Marengo, Liberie, Egalite, Eridania." 

Eridania, it will be recollected, is the classical appellation of' 
Northern Italy. The old green velvet chair, with its high 
back, that served Napoleon when engaged at the table, is 
still serviceable for the accommodation of visitors. On the 
first of October, 1 846, a register was opened for the insertion 
of the names of those who visited the premises. It contains 
many names, and among them appear those of some distin- 
guished personages. For example — Louis Murat, Prince Po- 
niatouski, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, visit dated 16th of 
August, 1847, Marshal Marmont, Duke de Ragusa, Keller- 
mann, Duke de Valmy, &c. 

I was informed that the book contained the names of 
only three American visitors ; upon turning to them, they 
proved to be officers of the United States navy. 

Under the window, outside, is read the following inscrip- 
tion, chiselled upon a black slab : 

E, uscir s'intese voce di precetto 

All' aula imperiale da un umil tetto. — Eosetti. 

And from an humble roof, was heard 

A voice of command, to the Imperial Throne. 

This inscription has reference to the dignified tone assumed 



MAEENGO. 123 

by Napoleon, when he wrote from the cottage chamber to 
the Austrian emperor. 

The parlor upon the right side of the hall is tastefully 
furnished, and its walls are embellished with representations 
of a number of the French marshals on horseback. Passing 
up staire, upon the ceiling of the first apartment is seen a 
grand painting, entitled the " Apotheosis of Napoleon." The 
outside of this representation is bordered with a ranging cir- 
cumference of columns, with the figures of globes, helmets, 
eagles, banners, and shields in repose among them. 

Upon the centre-table is placed a large plan of the great 
battle of Marengo, with explanations corresponding with 
Thiers's history thereof. 

The clock upon the mantel-piece exhibits the figure of 
Napoleon on horseback, crossing the Alps. 

The fire-board represents the transportation of the Impe- 
rial ashes to Paris. The fire-boards of most of the apart- 
ments afford illustrations of the career of Napoleon. 

Another apartment contains a very spirited view of the 
battle of Marengo. The fall of Desaix is depicted with much 
effect. Upon the walls of the same apartment are views of 
the battles of Jena, Arcole, and Austerlitz. Upon the mantel- 
piece stands a splendid clock, representing Napoleon pointing 
a cannon at Montereau. The figures of Time appear between 
the spokes of the wheels, and the hands are made to revolve 
upon the axle of the cannon's carnage. 

Another apartment illustrates Bonaparte's return from 
Egypt. The ceiling of one of the saloons is favored with a 
beautiful full length figure of a female, representing " Italia ;" 



124 MAKENGO. 

her person is truly divine, and her raiment resembles that of 
a goddess ; her smiling eye follows the beholder as he makes 
the circuit of the room. 

The third story of the building is reserved for the private 
apartments of the family of the proprietor, and as such, ex- 
cepted from examination. 

I now pass from the house to the garden, and note in 
order the objects which there arrested my attention. In the 
rear of the building, under one of the windows, appeared a 
spring of considerable interest ; its border is protected by iron 
chains, supported by low wooden posts. A firm stone seat is 
fixed by its side. Behind the spring, in the wall of the 
house, is placed a neat slab with an inscription, which reads 
as follows : 

Qui 

Posava e dissetavasi 

La sera del XIV Giugno MDCCC, alle ore IX, 

il General Bonaparte 

Glorioso della seconda conquista d'ltalia. 

Here 

Bested, and quenched his thirst, 

On the evening of the 14th of June, 1800, at the hour of 9, 

General Bonaparte, 

Kendered glorious by his second conquest of Italy. 

After leaving the spring I passed an extensive conser- 
vatory, filled with valuable plants, and then arrived at the 
edificial monument reared for the commemoration of the 
dead of Marengo. This structure is of medium size, of a 
quadrangular form, and has an Egyptian aspect. Its top 



MARENGO. 125 

culminates with the figure of a burning globe. Over the 
door appear these words : 

" Ai Prodi di Marengo." 

To the heroes of Marengo. 

The door is composed of light iron bars, so arranged as 
to admit of a perfect view of the contents of the monument. 
Upon looking in I noticed three divisions; one upon the 
light, another upon the left, and the thud in the rear. Each 
division contained a large sarcophagus, filled and piled high 
up with bones. Skulls and big bones lay below and the minor 
bones above. The space in the centre of the monument 
being reserved for a tall stand, intended to serve for its 
illumination upon each recurring anniversary of the battle. 
Externally on each side of the portal are sculptured torches 
crossed and reversed, encircled by wreaths of amaranth. 

A few steps beyond rises the new monument of Desaix. 
It is a plain tall marble block, capped with the bust of the 
fallen general. He is clad in a loose Eoman guise, slightly 
embroidered. A few steps farther is observed an artificial 
island, formed to represent as closely as possible the island of 
St. Helena. It is accessible by means of a foot-plank. Upon 
its 'summit reposes a plain flat slab of blue stone, bearing 
upon its face a bronzed star with five points and the letter N. 
beneath. This is the cenotaph of Napoleon; above it a 
weeping willow bends, and sighs, when the winds pass by, a 
requiem to his memoiy. The stream which creates this 
island is called the "Fontanone." It threads its sinuous 



126 MARENGO. 

course through the garden and village of Marengo, until it 
mingles with the waters of the Bormida. During the battle 
it was three times lost and won, and became completely 
filled with the bodies of the slain. Advancing a short 
distance, a rising part of the ground is occupied by a neat 
eight columned retreat, adapted for observation and refresh- 
ment. 

Having said thus much of the mansion and garden of 
Signor Delavo, a few words may be acceptable in reference to 
the village of Marengo, which lies immediately contiguous. 
Marengo appears to have been in ancient times a place of 
some consideration, and figured in classical Jhistory. It after- 
wards became the residence of the Lombard Kings, of Otho 
the Great, and of Pope Stephen VEX It then fell into 
obscurity and remained almost unknown until the glory of 
Napoleon restored it to fame. Recently some learned Italian 
scholars have delved into its classical annals, and communi- 
cated to the public the result of their investigations; but 
their researches are of too dry a character to command the 
attention of the general reader. The present population of 
the village is estimated at about 1800. Its buildings have 
an old, thoughtful appearance, and have evidently seen hard 
times. Its chief object of interest is the aged brick tower 
which served Napoleon as an observatory after the battle. I 
ascended this tower, and from its summit looked upon the 
field of victory. The day was fair, and the sky was as blue 
as the ocean, while the white clouds sailing over it, resembled 
ships at sea under a press of canvass. The plain of Marengo 
is so extensive that the armies of Europe might be reviewed 



MAKENGO. 127 

upon it. It produces rich crops of grain, and a limited 
quantity of wine, but very few trees. The eye when it has 
noted the adjacent belfries of Spineta, and Castel-Ceriolo, 
discerns nothing but a boundless level of ever-living green. 

Napoleon always felt a peculiar attachment for the field of 
Marengo. It was there that his pretensions to the consulship 
were established, and it was there that his destiny as Consul 
and Emperor began its course. His proclamations and ad- 
dresses to his troops abound with graphic allusions to that 
memorable field. In his preparatory dispositions for the great 
battle of " Friedland," he exclaimed, " Soldiers ! this is the 
anniversary of Marengo ; the battle could not have fallen on 
a more propitious day." Even the relics and habiliments of 
Marengo were precious in his estimation. At the Marengo 
review in 1805, he appeared upon the field in the same uni- 
form in which he gained the battle. In crossing the Alps, 
Napoleon wore his usual simple dress, a gray surtout and 
three-cornered hat. That surtout he particularly cherished, 
and was accustomed to wear it when upon the eve of com- 
mencing his most distinguished battles. On the field of Ma- 
rengo itself he wore a blue cloak. That cloak accompanied 
him in his exile to St. Helena, and served as the pall which 
covered his funereal bier. It was afterward conveyed to 
Europe and consigned to his son, the Duke de Reichstadt, in 
fulfilment of the dying will of the lamented Napoleon. 

It is a solemn thing to walk over a field of battle, and 
particularly so at night. At midnight I passed some time 
upon the field ; at that lonely hour every body had retired, 
and I had the whole prospect to myself. As I pondered with 



128 MAEENGO. 

a tearful eye upon the field, I thought of the earth, and of 
the grave, and of bleaching bones ; but when I raised my 
eye above the broad plain of Marengo, and surveyed the blue 
camp of heaven, marshalled with constellations of stars in full 
review, I thought of the Elysian fields and of the immortal 
spirits of the heroic dead, and felt that Man was as immortal 
as his Sire, and could Never Die ! 



CHAPTER XXI. 

%B\l 

I reached Asti just as the moon lifted her bright shield over 
the city. The country through which I passed abounds with 
fields of grain and mulberry trees ; the leaves of these trees 
afford food for the silk-worm. Silk is extensively produced 
throughout Piedmont, and sent to Genoa for exportation. 
Turin, the capital of the kingdom, lies twenty-five miles far- 
ther to the north. Asti is a very ancient place ; it reposes 
upon a broad plain, remarkably fertile and beautiful. During 
the summer, veiy little rain falls in Italy. From time to time, 
the earth is refreshed by artificial communications of water. 
The wells and reservoirs in the fields are sheltered from the 
rays of the sun by green arbors, which present a very refresh- 
ing appearance to the eye. In walking about the town, I no- 
ticed some of the effects of the late wars in the cause of Italian 
independence, a large number of the wounded and infirm 
soldiers of the king's army being quartered here for medical 
treatment. I saw soldiers without arms, soldiers without legs, 
and many moving about on crutches, or leaning upon staves. 
Instead of swords, I saw scarcely any thing but canes and 



130 ASTI. 

crutches among the military. Asti, like all old cities, is sur- 
rounded by a wall, and has gates, at which are stationed toll- 
gatherers and tax-collectors. In reply to the frequent inquiry, 
whether the cities and towns of America were encircled by 
walls, I have replied that the American cities grow too fast 
for such restrictions. The walks about this place are truly 
charming, and very extensive ; they are so green and shady, 
and are so well graded, and so admirably provided with trees, 
all so regularly planted and cared for. Most of the Italian 
cities and villages are distinguished by having pleasant resorts 
for promenade and recreation. They have certainly had time 
enough for the completion of such improvements. Popula- 
tion, civilization, and knowledge have so long existed in these 
places, that we are prepared to expect such things from them. 
Early in the morning, I entered an old church with many 
wings, dedicated to Saint Peter. The rotunda of this edifice 
is reputed to have been a heathen temple for the worship of 
the goddess Diana. The doors of the churches in Italy are 
always open until noon. In this old building I found myself 
almost alone. I saw, throughout all, the evidences of other 
years upon its walls : — old tablets, fragments of ancient monu- 
ments, and many curious devices in the dead languages ; in 
the rear I passed into a small garden abounding with flowers, 
full of youth and beauty. Toward the centre of the city is a 
large square, called the Piazza di Armi, or Place of Arms, 
where the military are assembled for reviews. Upon one side 
of this square, an immense building with colonnades has been 
reared for the accommodation of cattle-drovers and grain-mer- 
chants ; this structure is one of the largest and best arranged 



ASTI. 131 

buildings of the kind that I ever beheld. It has capacity 
enough to serve for the wants of the capital of an empire. 

Vittorio Alfieri, the gifted tragic poet, was born in this city. 
The palace in which his birth occurred is still in existence, 
at No. 154 Contrada Maestra. The mansion is of a grayish 
yellow color.; it is only two stories high, but of considerable 
length ; in respect to length, if divided, it would serve for four 
ordinary-sized habitations. A spacious court occupies the cen- 
tre of the premises. The people of Asti cherish the memory 
of Alfieri. A street near his palace bears his name. A coffee- 
house also has assumed it ; while his portrait and works are 
found in the libraries and book-stores of the city. The ashes 
of Alfieri repose in the church of the Holy Cross, Florence, 
beneath a magnificent marble mausoleum designed by Ca- 
nova. In that church some of the greatest men of Italy have 
been sepulchred. Galileo, Michael Angelo, Machiavel, and a 
portion of the Bonaparte family, are there. In Italy, as well 
as in England and France, when great men die, their mortal 
remains are consigned to such abbeys and fields as have 
received the bones of distinguished predecessors. 

The room in which Alfieri was born fronts with two win- 
dows upon the street. It is a very plain, old-fashioned apart- 
ment, and contains the original furniture, in good preservation. 
Tbe same bed, with its yellow silk coverlet and curtains, the 
chairs and sofa, covered with the same material, and the 
large mirror and the secretary, remain. Over the mantel- 
piece is suspended a portrait of the poet himself, habited in 
black, with a red mantle upon his shoulders, ruffled shirt, and 



132 ASTI. 

■white cravat with a large bow ; upon one of his fingers he 
appeal's wearing a ring with the figure of Dante upon it. 

On the left, in a frame, is placed an autograph letter 
written by the poet to his sister, dated Florence, 2d April, 
1*79 6. Above this hangs a sketch of his tomb in the church 
of the Holy Cross, Florence. On the right is hung a portrait 
of his sister, habited in a white dress, with a blue shawl, bor- 
dered with white lace ; her head-dress is composed of lace 
and pink ribbon; a neat pink bow adorns her breast. A 
portrait of the mother of Alfieri hangs opposite. A blue book 
is presented to visitors for the insertion of their names, and 
also for the reception of such sentiments as the admirers of 
the poet may choose to insert. The book was commenced 
on the 30th of June, 1828, and contains many names, proba- 
bly more than five hundred, and a great deal of panegyrical 
poetry, chiefly in Italian. 

The towere of this old city have interested me veiy much. 
Their tops are crowned with that truly catholic emblem, the 
cross. High above all other things, this emblem is exalted 
for the observation and confidence of the people. The birds 
of heaven have made their nests in the apertures of these 
buildings, and hover and warble around then walls until 
the sun goes down. For centuries the bells of these old 
towere have been speaking and tolling away the horn's and 
fives of successive generations. I have frequently listened 
with deep awe when these aged representatives have spoken. 
First one would speak and declare the hour, and then another, 
and so on, each in a tone of its own, until all had spoken and 
delivered their charge. As I looked steadfastly upon this 



ASTI. 183 

venerable assembly of towers, I thought that it would be wise 
to regard them as time's counsellors for eternity. 

The cathedral of Asti is so large that it seems like an im- 
mense brick mountain ; although the population of the city is 
only about nineteen thousand, its chief sanctuary will compare 
in size with the largest church in the city of New- York. At 
the base of the huge Gothic pillars of the edifice confessional 
boxes are planted, but they really appear so small that they 
are scarcely observable. Although I have been some time 
in Italy, and have visited churches without number, I have 
very seldom found men at the confessional ; but I have 
seen thousands of females approach and bend the knee for 
absolution. 

The priests are very comfortably provided for in these 
boxes ; they sit upon a cushion, have elbow-supporters, a foot- 
stool, a fan, a snuff-box, and other etceteras, and a silk curtain 
before them, which they can draw at pleasure. The penitents 
are not quite so comfortable ; they kneel upon a cold oak 
board, and maintain a very constrained and fatiguing position 
during the whole operation. I have frequently seen females 
detained half an hour at the box, and sometimes even much 
longer. It has often occurred to me that the priests must 
have a great deal of spare time to dispose of. Queens, I be- 
lieve, receive about as little consideration at the confessional as 
the poorer members of their sex. It is recorded that when 
Fray Fernando de Talavera, afterward Archbishop of Granada, 
who had been appointed confessor to the Queen Isabella of 
Spain, the illustrious patroness of Columbus, attended her for 
the first time in that capacity, he continued seated after she 
6 



134 ASTI. 

had knelt down to make her confession, which drew from her 
the remark ''that it was usual for both parties to kneel." 
" Xo," replied the priest, " this is God's tribunal ; I act here 
as His minister, and it is fitting that I should keep my seat 
while your highness kneels before me."' 

The day I visited the cathedral of Asti was on the occa- 
sion of the celebration of the festival of Corpus Domini, and 
the concourse assembled for that purpose was exceedingly 
great. The judicial, martial, and civil authorities were pres- 
ent, besides ah the various religious orders of the city. The 
National Guard also attended, and after the performance of 
some military exercises in the church, detailed eight members 
of their company to advance and serve as a guard of honor 
around the altar. Four of this number, with bayonets fixed, 
stood without, and four with drawn sabres posted themselves 
within its precincts, having then caps and plumes upon their 
heads. As soon as the ceremonies at the altar were over, the 
different societies and chapters were organized to march in 
procession through the town. A large body of priests headed 
the procession, habited in the richest gala apparel of the 
Church; a portion of them bearing burning candles in their 
hands, the other portion bearing long white staves capped 
with silver balls. The civil and military officials succeeded, 
some bearing black maces, others burning lights. Then fol- 
lowed the incense-bearers, and the Host, borne by the venera- 
ble vicar, under a silk canopy, surrounded by a powerful 
body of ecclesiastics, and a military guard. The moment 
this portion of the procession arrived in the square, in front of 
the cathedral, it was saluted by the National Guard and its 



ASTI. 135 

band of music. The music first saluted the Host, and then 
followed a heavy discharge from the guns of the Guard. 
Among the notable things that attracted my attention in 
the procession, was the appearance of a small auburn-haired 
boy, about nine years of age, who represented John the Bap- 
tist ; this child had nothing but a girdle of sheep-skin around 
his loins, and a pair of sandals upon his feet ; in his hand he 
carried a cruciform staff with the fleecy image of a lamb 
upon the top, surrounded by a narrow banner lettered Ecce 
Agnus — Behold the Lamb. 

A short distance behind him came a girl of about twelve 
years, who represented Mary Magdalen. She was without 
stockings or shoes ; her arms and neck were bare, and her 
hair hung dishevelled and desolate over her person. The 
apparel she wore was very loose, and of the meanest descrip- 
tion imaginable. Her hands were elevated before her breast, 
and supported a white napkin, upon which reposed an ebony 
cross with the gilded figure of our Saviour attached. Her 
eyes were fixed upon this image, and her whole attention 
appeared centred upon its consideration. Afterward (proba- 
bly for the personification of angels) several beautiful young 
girls advanced, robed in raiment of a celestial appearance, 
crowned with garlands, bearing small baskets of flowers in 
'their hands, which they scattered with benignant smiles along 
the way. 

The rest of the train was composed of the various chari- 
table divisions, dressed in the uniforms of their respective 
orders. The length of the procession would probably equal 
a mile. Nearly all who assisted on the occasion carried 



136 ASTI. 

candles, some of which appeared as big and as heavy as a 
musket. 

The windows and balconies of the houses in the streets 
through which the procession passed were extensively deco- 
rated with tapestry, of various colors, frequently embroidered 
with gold. The windows of the poorer classes were distin- 
guished by a neat display of bed-quilts, bed-curtains, and 
counterpanes. The front of one house, probably the residence 
of a picture-vender, was completely covered with the portraits 
of martyrs, saints, and Virgins. 

The ground passed over, all the way, was fragrant with 
the odors of flowers, scattered expressly for the occasion. 
Rose, mint, violet, and fennel, were very prevalent ; but in 
passing the Alfieri Palace it was really like walking over a 
flowery carpet, so thickly were these heavenly emblems 
spread. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

teiit. 

Turin is laid out regularly and geometrically as the city of 
Philadelphia. It is a place of salubrity, convenience, and 
beauty. It is the capital of the kingdom of Sardinia, the 
residence of the King and his court, and contains a popula- 
tion of 120,000 inhabitants. The palace of the King will 
well repay a visit. Several days might be passed in the exam- 
ination of its vast apartments. The first saloon into which I 
entered was the saloon for " balls ;" it is rich beyond descrip- 
tion. The ceiling is so painted as to represent the canopy of 
night, and produces, when properly illuminated, an effect truly 
remarkable. I was next conducted into a division styled the 
" alcove," one of the richest apartments probably in Europe. 
The walls, ceiling, and furniture, were so rich, that, had there 
been a heavy shower of gold from the skies, I doubt whether 
a more gorgeous display could have met the eye. I next 
surveyed the grand dining saloon, full of statuary and paintings, 
then entered various suites of apartments, admirably embel- 
lished, and was afterward ushered into the drawing-room of 
the Queen : the apartment where she passed her horn's of 
leisure, either in sewing, painting, or recreation. She appeared 



138 TURIN. 

to have left it only a few horn's ago, as her things were 
dispersed in most graceful negligence about the room. 

I next passed into her toilet cabinet, and then into a little 
closet where the Queen prayed. This was the most remark- 
able closet that I ever entered : it was very rich, but withal 
so modestly decorated with gold and precious things that 
anybody might pray there without thinking about them. I 
was next ushered into the chamber where the Queen slept : — 
although I had, in the course of my peregrinations seen many 
beautiful apartments for the repose of Queens, yet I must 
confess, that the splendor of the chamber of the Queen of 
Sardinia, materially exceeded every anticipation. It was so 
grand that I could not help inquiring, " whether the Queen 
did really sleep there every night." I was answered with a 
smile, " Yes !" Her bed was covered with the richest damask 
that I ever saw, the curtains were also damask, and the 
canopy was crowned with a featheiy diadem. Paintings of 
extraordinary beauty covered the walls, and statuaiy of 
inestimable value glistened before the eye. Gladly would I 
have lingered in so interesting a place, but was hurried 
forward into the less pretending apartments of the late 
sovereign, Charles Albert. I then passed into the hall where 
the King held conference with his Ministers, and then into 
the throne room. The throne of Sardinia is only two steps 
high, and is shaded with a crimson canopy, gemmed with 
many golden ornaments, and surrounded by a low balustrade 
of dazzling splendor. In one of the apartments I was shown 
a very neat affair; the interior part resembling that of a 
carriage. It is so constructed as to ascend and descend at 



TUEIN. 139 

pleasure, and serves to convey the Queen above and below 
•whenever she wishes to avoid the fatigue of going up and 
down stairs. The motion of this vehicle is exceedingly- 
pleasant. I never saw such a prodigality of gold as this 
proud palace labors to reveal. Its saloons, halls, and 
chambers, seemed as if the auriferous waves of the gold 
sea had been beating and fretting through every accessible 
avenue of the premises ; and then this gold appeared so pure 
and bright, as though the deluge had only happened yester- 
day! 

The royal gardens are behind the palace, and are worthy 
of high praise. Here trees of every variety afford their 
shade, and flowers of every clime regale the senses ; statuary 
also presents its charms, and in allegorical language illustrates 
the history of man from the works of the poets. In 
emerging from one of the most beautiful bowers in the 
garden, I was somewhat unexpectedly saluted with a very 
salutary admonition. It was such as the Royal family must 
encounter, every time they look out of their palace windows. 
I allude to the sepulchral temple of the sovereigns and 
princes of Sardinia, crowning the hill of Superga. Charles 
Albert, father of the reigning monarch, sleeps there. In 
these ancient kingdoms, in whatever direction you turn your 
eye, you are sure to behold the hoary trophies of the king of 
terrors; — the power of this arch invader is felt in every 
clime : it may be truly said that the sun never sets upon his 
dominion ; the cemeteries of the world are his fortresses : — 
against a veteran of so much skill and experience, the ablest 
and most intrepid of men have always been outgeneralled 



140 TUEIK. 

and defeated. We must retreat — but there is a day coming 
when our Great Leader shall take the field ; and when he 
shall appear, and shall have gathered together our scattered 
forces, His language to us shall be, as He rides along our 
recovered ranks, " Soldiers, you have retired far enough !" On 
that great day we will recover all our lost ground, we will 
drive the enemy from graveyard to graveyard, and pursue 
our success until every vestige of his supremacy be de- 
stroyed. 

The museum of Turin enjoys a very distinguished reputa- 
tion. The buildiug in which it is located is so lofty and so 
long, and withal so majestic and rock-like, that it reminded 
me of the Palisades of the Highlands upon the Hudson river. 
Its collection of Egyptian Antiquities is remarkably extensive. 
Here may be seen scores of mummies of every description. 
The linen in which they are packed is coarse, compared with 
the fine fabrics of the nineteenth century, but nevertheless 
almost as white and clean as when first purchased. Be- 
sides the characters on the lids, I observed that the interior 
portions of the coffins, were completely covered with minute 
hieroglyphics in various colors, probably forming the biogra- 
phy of the dead. One of the mummies wore a crown very 
richly gilded. The walls of the apartment are covered with 
papyrus; among others there is a superbly written funeral 
ritual sixty feet long. The Egyptians, like the Chinese, 
undoubtedly understood printing by the use of blocks ; many 
of the cases contain a large assortment of linen printed neatly 
and legibly, resembling the handkerchiefs sold in modern 
stores with odes upon them. The ground floor is devoted to 



TURIN. 141 

the reception of an immense collection of kings, sphinxes, 
gods, and queens, fashioned in marble and stone. Here are 
likewise massive pillars, obelisks, and coffins. The directors 
of the museum, although confident in the strength of the 
building, deemed it imprudent to risk the storage of such 
heavy masses in the upper stories. The stone statue of 
" Osymandias," comprising part of the collection, is fifteen 
feet high, and weighs eighteen thousand seven hundred and 
fifty pounds. 

The departments of geology and natural history are 
included in the same building, and merit the highest com- 
mendation. The labor of arranging this vast collection of 
beasts, birds, shells, fishes, insects, bones, petrifactions, nests, 
eggs, gems, ores, and minerals, must have been truly incredi- 
ble. The ingenious disposition of the insects in the cases 
reminded me of printed pages of stenography and poetry. 
The University of Turin is another grand institution: — its 
library contains 112,000 volumes and 1880 manuscripts. As 
I surveyed the massive walls of books of this venerable 
bibliotheca, I bowed my head and did reverence to the labors 
of the learned dead. The royal armory formed in 1833, 
partly from the arsenals of the kingdom and partly from 
private collections, occupies a large hall in one of the wings 
of the king's palace, and will compare in interest with any in 
Europe. When I first entered this saloon, and beheld the 
long files of knights clad in steel, and looked at their steeds 
in armor, bearing mailed warriors on their backs, and 
at the vast assortment of ancient weapons, shields, and 
helmets which filled the hall, I felt for the moment as if 
6* 



142 TUEIN. 

"Chivalry's bright lance and nodding plumes" had re- 
turned. 

The public and private picture galleries of the city- 
deserve commendation. The hospitals are numerous and 
well conducted, the largest of which is called after the Evan- 
gelist St. John, and contains five hundred beds. The grand 
defect in the Italian hospitals appears to be want of ventila- 
tion. The air in most of these establishments would suffice 
to make a well man sick. The windows of many of these 
institutions are provided with iron gratings as well as wire 
nettings, and the sashes are seldom thrown up, even on a hot 
June day. The Italian physicians and nurses-seem to think 
that sick people have no need of fresh air or fresh water. 
Invalids are treated in the same manner as monks and nuns : 
they are locked up to vegetate in the shade. There are one 
hundred and ten churches in the city, one of which, built in 
imitation of the Roman Pantheon, is dedicated to the Virgin 
Mary, under the title of " Gran Madre di Dio" (Great 
Mother of God). The celebrated Silvio Pellico, once a 
prisoner of state in the dungeons of Spielburg, whose prison 
narrative is familiar to many an American reader, is at 
present a citizen of Turin, and occupies the situation of 
librarian to the Marquis di Barollo. Bancroft's great work 
upon American history has been translated into the Italian 
language. 

The royal hunting-castle of the Sardinian sovereign is 
located at " Stupinigi," about four miles from the city, and is 
truly a noble edifice. Bonaparte was much attached to this 
beautiful castle, and in May, 1805, in company with the Em- 



TURIN. 143 

press Josephine, passed twelve days in it very agreeably. The 
view from the window of the room occupied by him com- 
mands one of the richest prospects imaginable. I passed 
through the different sleeping-chambers of the late kings, and 
then through the numerous saloons and halls of audience, and 
noted and admired the sumptuous furniture and costly paint- 
ings which genius had lavished upon the walls, and surveyed 
the royal chapel dedicated to St. Hubert, the patron of the 
sports of the field. 

I noticed over the royal couches the suspension of rich 
canopies, similar to those seen over the chief altars of the 
churches. The subjects of the paintings appeared to be 
chiefly of a mythological character. Diana ! Diana ! Diana ! 
the lovely goddess of the chase, is the " prima donna" of the 
castle ; now she is represented going to the bath ; presently 
she is seen returning from the chase, and anon going forth 
again upon her favorite recreation. The roof of the castle is 
surmounted with a large bronze stag, which is so imposing in 
its appearance as to attract attention from " magnificent dis- 
tances." The road which leads from Turin to Stupinigi runs 
all the way as straight as a die, and is margined the entire 
distance by rows of stately trees. There are also broad ave- 
nues diverging from the castle in other directions, so thickly 
studded with green poplars that to look at them is like look- 
ing on tall walls of wings furled in repose. Last spring, on 
the occasion of the marriage of the young duke of Genoa 
with a princess of Saxony, a grand entertainment was given 
at this palace, at which the people generally attended as 
invited guests. The young duke served with much credit in 



144 TURIN. 

the late Italian campaigns, and won considerable military dis- 
tinction. The princess of his choice signalized her entrance 
into the kingdom by many generous exemplifications of 
beneficence. A deputation from the Chamber of Deputies 
complimenting her arrival, uttered the following beautiful 
sentiment : " We feel that we have acquired in you, illustri- 
ous princess, a new source of relief for the unfortunate, as 
your first act, since you placed your foot in our country, has 
been to shake from the laurels culled by your consort on the 
field of honor, a beneficent dew, destined to console the 
orphans of those who fell accompanying him in his noble 
undertaking." 

In the course of my journey from the Alps towards Turin, 
at the hour of midnight, I was aroused from slumber by the 
sound of female voices sustaining a hymn in chorus. It 
proved to be a company of nuns marching by, bearing a 
cross and holding lights in their hands, and followed by a 
large procession of country people, with their heads uncov- 
ered. The conductor of the diligence immediately stopped 
the vehicle, and halted until the train had passed by. The 
train was probably half a mile long, and was winding its way 
to some favorite chapel in the mountains. To me it was a 
very impressive exhibition, and when I looked upon the fe- 
males and regarded the hour, and the fights which they car- 
ried, I was reminded of the remarkable parable of the wise 
virgins, spoken of in the New Testament : " And at midnight 
there was a cry made, behold, the bridegroom cometh ! Go 
ye out to meet him !" 

After the sun had risen and had begun to warm the cold 



TURIN. 145 

earth with his fire, as I was looking down upon the right side 
of the road, I saw a medium-sized stone building, and noticed 
upon the wall thereof a large fresco painting of the day of 
judgment. The long trumpets of the angels were rapidly 
waking up the dead, tombstones were falling, sepulchres were 
breaking up, and the sleepers were hastening to meet their 
final doom. The two incidents to which I have thus briefly 
referred affected me with convictions of profound solemnity. 

The Christian traveller opens his Bible with a livelier in- 
terest as he journeys through the classic regions of the Roman 
empire. The books of prophecy and revelation abound with 
allusions to the rise and fall of this formidable power. Italy 
was the heart and soul of this vast empire, and is hallowed 
by some of the most interesting reminiscences of Christianity. 
The epistles to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Phile- 
mon, Hebrews, Peter, Timothy, and the gospel of Saint Mark, 
were all written in Italy. Paul, the prince of Apostles, was 
a prisoner and preacher at Rome, and for two whole years 
continued a resident of that city, and there presented his 
appeal to Csesar. In passing through places and localities of 
historical importance, I have been accustomed to gather flow- 
ers and distribute them throughout the leaves of my pocket 
Bible ; these souvenirs have so perfumed the volume, that 
whenever I open the book to read, I fancy I inhale the breath 
of an angel among the leaves. When I was in Rome, I vis- 
ited the beautiful gardens attached to the Papal Palace on 
Mount Quirinal. I carried this little volume with me there : 
some of my fellow-countrymen observing it in my hand, ea- 
gerly inquired " if it was a guide for the gardens of the Pope." 



146 TURIN. 

"No," replied I, "it is a guide to the gardens of Para- 
dise r 

In Turin I met the American consul of Borne, who had 
passed through the entire revolution in the Eternal City, and 
who was present when the doors and dungeons of the Inqui- 
sition were opened by the decree of the Triumvirs, its prison- 
ers released, and the building converted into an asylum for 
the poor. It was interesting to hear from the lips of an intel- 
ligent eye-witness the most ample confirmation of the pub- 
lished statements relative to the condition and appearance of 
this iniquitous establishment. The Holy Inquisition of Rome 
is situated near the Porta Cavalligeri, and under the very 
shadow of the sublime dome of Saint Peter's cathedral, and 
capable, in case of emergency, of accommodating three thou- 
sand prisoners. The consul was particularly struck with the 
imposing dimensions of the " Chamber of Archives," filled with 
voluminous documents, records and papers. Here were piled 
all the proceedings and decisions of the holy office from the 
very birth of the Inquisition, including the correspondence 
with its collateral branches in both hemispheres. Upon the 
third floor, over a certain door, was an inscription to this 
effect — " Speak to the first Inquisitor." Over another — " No- 
body enters this chamber except on pain of excommunication." 
They might as well have placed over that door the well- 
remembered inscription of Dante over the gates of Tartarus — 
" Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." That chamber was 
the solemn Hall of Judgment, or Doom-room, where the fates 
of thousands have been sealed in death. Over a door directly 
opposite another inscription read, " Speak to the second In- 



TURIN". 147 

quisitor." Upon opening the door of that apartment a trap- 
door was exposed, from which the condemned, after they left 
the Hall of Judgment, stepped from time into eternity. 

The well or pit beneath had been built in the ordinary 
cylindrical form, and was at least eighty feet deep, and so 
ingeniously provided with projecting knives and cutlasses that 
the bodies of the victims must have been dreadfully mangled 
in the descent. At the bottom of the abyss quantities of hair 
and beds of mouldering bones remain. Not only at the bot- 
tom of the pit, but also in several of the lower chambers of 
the building, were found human bones. In some places they 
appear to have been mortared into the walls. The usual 
instruments of torture in such establishments were likewise 
manifest. The consul presented me with a bone which he 
brought with him as a memorial of his visit. The Pope fled 
from Rome on the 24th of November, 1848. The Roman 
Republic was proclaimed on the 11th of February, 1849, 
and immediately after its installation the Assembly solemnly 
declared the abolishment of the Holy Inquisition, and by a 
special decree charged the Triumvirate with the duty of 
erecting a lofty column to commemorate the overthrow of 
one of the greatest evils that ever darkened the face of the 
earth. But the scenes of this world change. On the 1st of 
July, 1849, the Roman Republic after a brief existence of 
five months, capitulated to the French, and in April, 1850, 
Pius IX., after an exile of one year and five months, returned 
to his capital, proscribed the Triumvirate, and re-established 
the Inquisition in all its former power. 

Mazzini was the soul of the Roman Triumvirate, and has 



148 TUEIN. 

gained a name in history by his defence of Rome against the 
French. His enthusiasm throughout those days of revolution 
was, at times, truly electrical. In that respect he was the 
Lamartine of Italy. The following proclamation from his 
pen, during the straggle, will show the spirit of the man. 

" Romans ! — To the crime of attacking a friendly Re- 
public, with troops led on under a republican banner, 
General Oudinot adds the infamy of treachery. He violates 
the written promise we have in our hands, not to attack us 
before Monday. Arise, Romans ! to the walls, to the gates, 
to the barricades ! let us prove to the enemy that Rome 
cannot be conquered, even by treachery. Let the Eternal City 
rise to a man with the energy of one common thought. Let 
eveiy man fight ! Let every man have faith in victory ! Let 
eveiy man remember our ancestors and be great. Let right 
triumph, and let eternal shame attend the ally of Austria 1" 

" Viva La Republica." 

Rome, from the residence of the Triumvirs. 



CHAPTEE XXIII. 
Mm, ^iEltmnnt. 

After a journey of about twenty-two miles to the northward 
of Turin, I entered within the walls of the little city of Ivrea. 
We passed upon the way a white cross at the roadside, with 
an inscription designating the spot where a deed of murder 
had been committed. In passing through the plain outside of 
the town of Chivasso, we noticed a regiment of Piedmontese 
soldiers under arms : as we surveyed them from the top of 
the diligence, they stood so compact and motionless as to ex- 
hibit nothing but a dense mass of glazed caps and black knap- 
sacks ; at first sight, the view resembled a field of black bugs. 
In passing through the hamlet of Caluso, we noticed twelve 
females all in a row, washing linen upon the edge of a limpid 
stream. They all had straw beneath their knees, and their 
wash-boards in the water. This primitive method of washing 
is very common upon the banks of the rivers of Italy. 

Ivrea is a city of antiquity, and mentioned by many 
ancient authors under the name of Eporedia. It rests upon 
the bank of a very rapid rivulet called the Dora, which has 
its source among the fastnesses of the Alps. The Cathedral 
of the city was originally a Pagan temple, and exhibits upon 



150 IVEEA. 

its facade a bronzed Roman Eagle of more than ordinary 
dimensions. Parts of the wrecks of the ancient tombs of 
Ivrea have from time to time been discovered and transferred 
to this sanctuary for protection. An old castle of the middle 
ages stands upon a high rocky eminence above the town, and 
now serves as a place for the confinement of prisoners 
awaiting the sentence of the law: at present it contains 150 
persons in that situation. The prison is of immense size, and 
has four very lofty towers, one for each angle, with frowning 
turrets upon then* tops. After considerable trouble I suc- 
ceeded in procuring a special permission to visit this gloomy 
institution. The instrument given me for this purpose was as 
big as my pocket handkerchief, and signed by the Intendant- 
General of the province, with an impression of his seal upon 
its face. 

Three officials conducted me through, the building, and 
caused to be shown to me all that I wished to see. Prisoners 
of state are separated from common criminals, and enjoy 
preferable accommodations. The window of the apartment 
through which prisoners are on certain days permitted to 
converse with their friends, is grated with iron bars outside, 
and inside with a netting of iron wire, so as to prevent 
the introduction of articles that might facilitate an escape. 
The horror's of imprisonment appeared so dreadful, that 
I hastened my steps through the remaining cells and 
corridors of the castle, and ascended one of its high towers 
where I might breathe the sweet air of freedom, and think 
of the charms attending its possession. From this lofty 
pinnacle the sight of the hills, the streams, the fields, and the 






IVBEA. 151 

hamlets, filled my heart with pleasure inexpressible. It 
appeared as though Nature had just unrolled a section of her 
vast chart, and was pausing to unroll and show the rest. 
Ivrea, with its narrow streets and tiled-roof habitations, was 
almost beneath my feet, and seemed like an intrenched camp 
of old red shields; while the distant chains of mountains 
appeared like the walls and bastions of some mighty empire, 
bristling with sentinels. 

From one of the turrets of the castle I gathered the 
fragrant shoot of a young fig-tree ; the seed from which it 
sprang had doubtless been brought thither by some passing 
wind, or by the beak of some gentle bird. The holes in the 
walls and towers of the castle are populous with birds, whose 
songs soothe in some degree the weary hours of the prisoners. 

In Ivrea, as well as in the most obscure sections of Italy, 
the marvellous reports of the gold regions of California, have 
for some time been in circulation, and the interest manifested 
upon the subject is almost incredible. The Italian papers 
publish all that they can glean about California, and generally 
make that the leading topic of American news. In Italy 
there appears to be a charm in the very name of gold. The 
hotels and inns of the country are commonly called after 
some golden object. For example : Hotel of the Gold Lion ; 
Hotel of the Gold Horse ; Hotel of the Gold Crown ; Hotel 
of the Gold Wheel ; Hotel of the Gold Bottle ; Hotel of the 
old Gold Cannon ; Hotel of the new Gold Cannon ; Hotel of 
the Two Gold Stars ; &c. The immense distance of Cali- 
fornia from the shores of Italy occasions much surprise, 
mingled with feelings of profound regret. 



152 IYEEA. 

In Ivrea I was shown the church and buildings once 
occujried by the Holy Inquisition. The gloomy dungeons 
beneath its foundations are now vacant. This institution was 
suppressed in Ivrea about the time of the French Revolution. 
Previous to that event there were seven convents in successful 
operation in the place ; but the French suppressed six of 
them, and the seventh continues a lingering existence with 
about twenty inmates. 

The Churches of Italy are generally built with spacious 
domes and cupolas. It is there that the fresco paintings of 
the celestial regions are usually j)ut, and when a mellow light 
falls upon these representations they do seem truly seraphic. 
Sometimes a dove is placed upon the culminating point of the 
whole, and appears as if descending from the seventh heaven. 
It is almost necessary to lie down upon your back to look at 
these things to advantage. 

In this city, as well as throughout the Italian Peninsula, 
the Jews occupy a particular section of the town by them- 
selves, and scrupulously cling to the belief of their fathers. 
There are about 300 in Ivrea, and then* cemetery is one of 
the most modest and unobtrusive little spots that could be 
imagined. Their synagogue is held in the upper story of a 
very high building. 

According to the late Constitution given by Charles 
Albert, the Jews are admitted to enjoy all the rights and 
privileges common to the Catholic citizens of the kingdom. 

Since the promulgation of the constitution the people of 
Piedmont call themselves citizens, not subjects. Piedmont, 
or the kingdom of Sardinia as it is called, is at this moment 



IVREA. 153 

the only government in Italy that is governed by a constitu- 
tion. 

The judges of Ivrea wear togas ; three judges, a public 
prosecutor, a clerk, and an advocate for the accused, constitute 
the court for the trial of ordinary causes. The judges 
constitute the jury. When the case has been heard, the 
judges retire and render a verdict conformable to the law. 
Their decision is read to the prisoner, and if he is condemned 
the grounds of his condemnation are declared, and the law 
cited, with the penalty incurred by its infraction. In place of 
an entire Bible, one leaf only from that book is pasted upon a 
sheet of paper, and placed upon the corner of the table 
before the judge. When the witnesses approach the table to 
give their testimony, they gently press this paper with the 
fingers of the right hand, and this act is considered tanta- 
mount to the administration of an oath. 

Previous to the promulgation of the constitution, persons 
were arrested and imprisoned without trial or explanation. 

The cemetery of Ivrea is situated upon the brink of the 
river Dora. This stream rushes by the place of graves with 
the velocity of an arrow. Over the gate of the cemeteiy is 
fixed an hour-glass. The rapid river and the hour-glass tell 
of the flight of time, and would impress upon the living the 
consideration of its improvement. ISTo inscription is found 
upon the arch of the cemetery, nor is one needed, if the signs 
referred to be wisely understood. The cemeteries of Italy 
may be always distinguished by the tall cypress trees with 
which they are gloomed. I call these trees, The muffled 
banners of the army of the dead. They look as stern as 



154 IVKEA. 

grenadiers upon the field of battle. Yet gloomy as these 
trees appear, they do not stand without some other object to 
relieve the sadness which they occasion. I allude to the 
presence of the cross, which is always to be found beneath 
their shade. Thus, full as this life is with miseries and 
sorrows, it is not without its compensations, and he who 
chooses to do so, may very easily rind them, even in a grave- 
yard. The cypress is the emblem of affliction, but the cross 
is the emblem of consolation. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

The distance from Turin to Aosta is about fifty-four miles. 
The road passes through Ivrea and the village of Fort Bard. 
Fort Bard, it will be recollected, occasioned much perplexity 
to the French army after the passage of the Alps, and well 
nigh defeated the projected campaign of Marengo. But the 
fortune and genius of Napoleon predominated, and enabled 
him to lead his army, 30,000 strong, through the place 
without material loss. The village was passed in the night, 
the binding of straw upon the wheels of the artillery and the 
hoofs of the horses, and spreading it upon the pavement of 
the narrow street, aided in overcoming the difficulty. The 
road at this place is remarkably narrow. On one side the 
river Dora rushes by, rumbling and foaming with all the 
violence of a mountain torrent, and on the other side high 
rocks lift their frowning brows among the clouds. The fort 
at that time contained only a small garrison of about four 
hundred men and twenty guns. Within a few years it has 
been greatly enlarged, and now mounts upwards of one 
hundred guns, and may be considered impregnable. I passed 



156 AOSTA. 

the place at midnight, and shall never forget my emotions as 
I descried the village belfry and the opposite eminence, where 
Bonaparte planted his field-pieces to respond to and silence 
the artillery of the fort. The moon was shining brightly, and 
as her pale beams cast shadows over the place, I felt as if I 
had seen a vision of history instead of reality itself : every 
thing was so silent and dreamy and solemn. The road is the 
work of the Romans, and in some places is cut out of solid 
rock. The Romans delighted to leave some enduring impres- 
sion of their strength upon the countries subjected to their 
arms. 

The mile stones made by them are sculptured in full re- 
lievo upon the rocks ; and in one place they cut the road 
through an arching rock, fashioned it into a gate, which is 
divided and marked so as to resemble mason work. As the 
Romans were not acquainted with the use of powder for blast- 
ing, it has been suggested that they employed some acid as 
an agent in their herculean operations. The population of 
Aosta is estimated at about 6,400 inhabitants. It is bounded 
by Mont Blanc, Mont Rosa and the great Saint Bernard. 
As I regarded the high mountains encircling it, the little city 
of Aosta appeared to me like a fleet anchored within their 
shelter. The earlier histoiy of Aosta is somewhat fabulous, 
but there is no difficulty in fixing its foundation 406 years be- 
fore that of Rome ; or 1158 years before Christ. It was an- 
ciently the chief city of the Salassi. Twenty-four years be- 
fore the Christian era it was taken by the army of the Roman 
Emperor, Octavius Augustus Ca3sar. Its inhabitants were re- 
duced to captivity, 36,000 of whom, according to Strabo, were 



AOSTA. 157 

conveyed to Ivrea and sold as slaves at public auction. The 
Emperor Augustus rebuilt the city and gave his own name to 
it. The Roman wall of Aosta in part remains, but is nothing 
more than a composition of rents, holes, and patches. It 
looks about as ragged as the tattered border of a beggar's 
garment. 

In entering the city we passed through the famous 
triumphal arch of Augustus. Nearly one fourth of the arch 
is buried in soil brought down from the mountains by torrents. 
But notwithstanding the ravages of war, time, and floods, the 
arch continues in a favorable state of preservation. Some 
modern inscriptions appear upon its face in French ; one 
reads as follows : 

Au triomphe d' Octave Auguste Coesar, 
II defit completement les Salasses, 
l'an de Eome 724. 

To the triumph of Octavius Augustus Caesar, 
Who completely defeated the Salassi, 
In the year of Eome 724 ; or 24 years before the Christian era. 

Another reads, — 

La Salasses long terns defendit ses foyers. 
II succomba. Rome victorieuse 
ici redressa ses lauriers. 

The Salassi for a long time defended their homes. 
Surrendered. Eome victorious, 
^Here raised her laurels, 

7 



158 AOSTA. 

Augustus is the Roman Emperor of whom St. Luke says, 
in the commencement of the second chapter of his Gospel, 
" And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a 
decree from Ccesar Augustus that all the world should be 
taxed." Joseph and his espoused wife, the mother of our 
Saviour, in consequence of that decree repaired to the city of 
David, which is called Bethlehem, and were in that city 
taxed, because they were of the house and lineage of 
David. 

It is of this Emperor, also, that Virgil speaks in such 
memorable terms. Under the arch a cross is suspended, 
and the cross bears upon it the figure of him who was 
crucified. 

The thoughts of the Christian traveller, as he pauses 
beneath this triumphal arch, are transported to the age of the 
Caesars, and to the period when the star of his Redeemer first 
gleamed upon the plains of Judea. 

By the telegraph of thought he is permitted to hold 
communication along nineteen centimes, even from the birth 
of the Messiah to the year 1852, and if the day is fair 
and his wires are in good order, he will find himself in less 
than an hour so flooded with facts, ideas, reflections, and sug- 
gestions, that he will be at a loss how to go to work to dispose 
of them. 

Advancing a few yards farther, we passed through the 
massive stone gates of Aosta, into the city itself. These 
gates are of the same age as the arch, and appear equally 
venerable. A recent inscription has been put upon them, and 
reads thus — 



AOSTA. 159 

L'Empereur Octave Auguste fonda cesmurs ; 

Batit la ville in trois ans, 

et lui donna son nom ; 

Tan de Eome 728. 

The Emperor Octavius Augustus Csesar founded these walls. 

Built the city in three years, 

and gave it his name, 

in the year of Eome 728. 

Near by are seen the remains of an amphitheatre and of 
a Pretorian palace ; also the ruins of walls, towers, pillars, and 
fragments of things inexplicable. 

The roofs of the houses and churches of Aosta are 
covered with very coarse, heavy, unpolished, slabs of rock. 
This measure is necessary in order to guard against the effects 
of the violent winds which visit the place in the winter 
months. 

In one of the principal streets stands a marble monument, 
erected in commemoration of the flight of Calvin. 

It consists of a square base, with a column culminating in 
a cross. A fountain issues from the base and flows for the 
public benefit. 

The inscription upon the monument runs thus — 

Hanc Calvini fuga 

erexit 

Anno MDXLI. 

Eeligionis Constantia 

Deparavit 

Anno MDCCXLI. 

Civiam pietas 

Eenovavit et adornavit 

Anno MDCCCXLT. 



160 AOSTA. 

There are two graveyards in Aosta, one for the city and 
the other for the parish. Each has a towering wooden cross 
in the centre. The only monuments over the graves are low 
wooden crosses, with the deceased's name and date of demise. 
Equality above ground as well as below. Over the minor 
door of the parish graveyard appeal's an inscription from the 
third chapter of John and the fifth verse ; while over the chief 
door is a quotation from the fifth chapter of John, 28th and 
29th verses. 

These inscriptions pleased me very much, because so 
applicable to the place ; and moreover so full of hope, truth, 
and consolation, that no right-minded person would seriously 
venture to question or reject them. 

An additional inscription ran thus — ; 

Nous avons 'ete ce que vous etes 

Dans peu vous serez ceque nous sommes. 

"We have been what you are — 

Soon you will he what we are. 

While musing among the graves the remarkable expres- 
sions of " Horace " were brought to my recollection : — 

" In the capacious urn of death every name is shaken." 
" The urn of death is shaken for all, and sooner or later the lot must 
come forth. 

The city graveyard is considerably larger than that of the 
parish, although equally simple. The face of the little 
chapel at its side is covered with frescoes, much injured by 



AOSTA. 161 

time, Its inscriptions have likewise suffered much from the 
same cause. One section of the fresco, however, remains 
sufficiently clear to be very well understood. It purports to 
be a representation of a company of human beings in the 
flames of purgatory. Above the sufferers is seen an angel, 
descending from heaven with a palm branch, to place in the 
hand of one of the sufferers, and is about to bear him to 
paradise. Near by, another angel is bending with a beauti- 
ful crown of laurel, and is preparing to place it upon the brow 
of a second sufferer and to escort him to a happier abode. 
An inscription beneath signifies that they who walk in the 
middle shades of the dead have nothing to fear. Over the 
graveyard gate I read these words — " Siste Viator" " Stop 
Traveller !" The tombs of Rome and Pompeii have the same 
startling admonition engraved upon them. 

In Roman Catholic countries the concerns of purgatory 
occupy one half of the religious consideration of the people ; 
and vast sums are applied to help the souls of the dead. In 
reference to this subject, Caleb Cushing in his Spanish 
Reminiscences, tells a good thing. The Count of Villa 
Medina was the most gallant and witty cavalier about the 
court of Madrid, young, handsome, brave, and munificent. 
Many of his bon-mots were famous. Being one day in the 
church of the Madonna dell'Atocha, and observing a priest 
bearing about a basin soliciting " elemosina " to deliver souls 
from purgatory, the count threw down a pistole. "Many 
thanks," said the friar, "there is one soul released from 
purgatory." The count threw in a second pistole ; " another 
soul is released from purgatory," cried the monk. The count 



162 AOSTA. 

gave him six pieces, one after the other, receiving at each 
time the same response. " Are you sure of it ?" demanded 
the count, "Yes, yes, most excellent senor," answered the 
monk, "I vouch for their being in Heaven." "Well then," 
said the count, " I will take my money back again, seeing it 
is of no use to you, and the poor souls are fairly released from 
purgatory." 

The cathedral of Aosta exhibits over its grand door a 
remarkable representation of the last supper in sculpture. 
All the figures are of the size of life, and are so ingeniously 
introduced that the tableau looks like a real supper table, 
with its members engaged in supping and conversation. One 
of the altars of this church is dedicated to St. Honorius, 
the patron of the bakers. A full length painting of the saint 
is seen over the altar, while in the perspective a company of 
bakers are observed occupied in kneading dough and baking- 
bread. 

Upon the walls of an old building I remarked a painting 
of the Virgin Maiy, with her hands gracefully extended and 
rays of light or magnetism passing off from them. In a 
church at Vercelli I lately saw a large fresco painting, which 
represented the Virgin Mary surrounded by clouds of angels 
— one angel was directly under her foot, and others were 
flying about her with a golden crown, which they were 
putting upon her brow. Above the Virgin was visible the 
figure of a very aged man, whose snowy flowing beard 
almost covered the jewels of the crown. This aged personage 
represented the " Eternal Father," ratifying her coronation as 
Queen of Heaven. All through the country images of the 



AOSTA. 163 

Madonna are found by road sides and upon house fronts. 
When the peasantry pass these images they take off their 
hats ; some to say their prayers, others to scratch their heads. 
The peasantry of Aosta are very partial to wearing red coats, 
cut after the fashion of the Quakers. On Sundays and on 
holidays they appear in shirts, the collars of which reach 
above the tips of their ears. The bed sheets of the small 
towns and humble hamlets of Italy have often attracted my 
attention. They are coarse and heavy it is true, but then 
again they are perfectly pure and white. 

In Aosta, upon the decease of one of its inhabitants, a 
piece of black cloth is suspended at the sides of the door of 
the house of mourning, with a slip of paper in the centre 
bearing the name of the deceased, with a request that prayers 
be rendered for the repose of his soul. The following copy of 
one of these slips may serve as an example : 

Pregate, 

per 1'ahima 

della fu Damigella Felicita Botero. 

Pray 

for the soul 
of the late Miss Felicity Botero. 

"When persons of wealth or distinction die, the attendant 
demonstrations are far more imposing. On such occasions 
the cathedral is put into mourning, and an inscription is placed 
over its portal, commemorative of the virtues of the departed. 
When Charles Albert, the late sovereign of these dominions, 
died, the metropolitan church at Turin was put in the deepest 



164 AOSTA. 

mourning. The gloomy drapery of the temple was so ar- 
ranged as to convey the idea of the valley of the shadow of 
death. A large catafalco, ornamented with the trophies of 
war, was in front of the main altar, around which the Sena- 
tors, the Representatives, and the clergy assembled, to cele- 
brate the mass for the repose of his soul. When the candles 
were all lit, the catafalco appeared like a blazing bonfire. 
Over the door of the temple the following inscription appeared, 
from the pen of the President of the Senate, Baron Mano. 
His language will sound strange to an American reader. 

" The National Parliament prostrates itself at the foot of 
the altar, and implores with fervorous prayers that the heroic 
and holy spirit of Charles Albert, author of our liberty and 
initiator of Italian independence, be admitted into the em- 
braces of the Almighty, and that he obtain for his desolate 
fatherland the fulfilment of the magnanimous hopes which 
he entertained for its good, but which from adverse fortune 
he failed to realize." 

On the demise of Charles Albert, every church in the 
kingdom went into mourning, and celebrated mass in his 
behalf. Over the door of one of the humbler churches in the 
town of Vercelli I read an inscription to this effect : — " Charles 
Albert, King, hero in battle, wise in law, giver of liberty to 
his people, died in exile that he might not see his country 
oppressed by the stranger. Pray for his repose." 

In Protestant states, upon the loss of a ruler or governor, 
the people, acting upon the convection that the soul of the de- 
parted is, peradventure, beyond all human influence or succor, 
direct their whole thought to the moral application of the 



AOSTA. 165 

bereavement for the improvement of the living, and to implore 
that Heaven may sanctify the event to the national good. 

In Roman Catholic countries exactly the reverse occurs. 
The living are left almost entirely out of the question, the 
main aim being to relieve the soul of the dead, and to extri- 
cate it as speedily as possible from the purgatorial sufferings 
of an intermediate state. 

It was interesting to examine the inscriptions over trie 
doors of the Italian churches on the death of Charles Albert. 
Some conveyed the most serious apprehensions for his situa- 
tion, and recommended that, if the people entertained any 
affection for their late Sovereign, the sooner they said their 
prayers in his behalf the better. 

Others intimated that he might not be so badly off as was 
supposed ; while others, again, testified that he was perhaps 
already released from purgatory, and was even then looking 
down from heaven and helping them by his prayers. 

Charles Albert died in exile at Oporto, on the 29th of 
July, 1849. As soon as the intelligence of this fact reached 
the court of Turin, the Legislature suspended its sittings, and 
delegated the prince of Carignano to proceed by steam from 
Genoa to Oporto, and obtain the body. Meanwhile, accord- 
ing to the programme, a cavalcade was to be in readiness at 
Genoa to receive the same, and bear it with funeral honors to 
the capital. 

All the towns along the route, with a view of showing 
every mark of respect to the memory of the departed mon- 
arch, resolved to meet the train upon its march, and to extend 
to it suitable marks of consideration. The authorities of Al- 



166 AOSTA. 

essandria adopted the following resolutions — [Alessandria and 
Marengo hoth lie upon the main road to Turin.] 

" 1st. That the national guard will receive the spoils of 
the distinguished monarch upon the plain of Marengo. [By 
a form of expression in the Italian language, the remains of 
the dead are called spoils.] 

" 2d. That the municipal members assemble at the Ma- 
rengo gate of the city to meet the train. 

" 3d. That all, uniting together, accompany it to the 
cathedral through the main street, draperied with mourning. 

" 4th. That the bier be placed upon a stand covered with 
white satin, and without any other decoration, save four tri- 
color standards. 

" 5th. That during the night the municipal and the na- 
tional guard are to keep watch over the precious deposit, and 
pray that his spirit may pardon our lukewarmness, and, above 
all, our transgressions" 

I am now under the shadow of the Alps, on the dividing 
boundary of France and Switzerland. I have travelled 
from Mount Etna, in Sicily, through the different capitals of 
the Italian kingdom, to the vale of Aosta; and in all my 
wanderings I have only seen three copies of the word of God 
in the Italian language, namely, one at Pompeii, one at a 
book-stall in Milan, which had been put in circulation by 
some English Bible agent, and another at a library in Milan, 
a veiy elaborate edition in twelve volumes, with copious notes 
by the Archbishop of Florence — price, ten dollars. If this 
copy should be bought by a Roman Catholic, he would be 



AOSTA. 167 

obliged to purchase a dispensation before be would be au- 
thorized to read it. 

Perhaps no country in the world is more liberally en- 
dowed with churches than Italy. They constitute her chief 
glory and principal wealth. She has within her borders some 
of the sublimest temples in which man ever prayed. She 
has not much occasion to add to their number. In church- 
building she appears to have almost finished her labors. In 
all my observations I only saw four new temples going up, 
namely, one at Leghorn, one at Turin, one at Milan, and one 
upon the battle-field of Marengo. 



CHAPTER XXV. 
WtoL 

The cities of Italy and Sicily may be compared to a numerous 
family of lovely and illustrious sisters, severally remarkable for 
their distinguished qualifications and accomplishments. In 
view of this idea, the suffrage of custom appears to have 
designated them with titles illustrative of their considera- 
tion. Thus 

IN ITALY. 

Milan The Grand. 

Eome The Pompons and Holy. 

Naples The Odoriferous and Gentle. 

Florence The Beautiful. 

Genoa The Superb. 

Mantua The Glorious. 

Lucca The Industrious. 

Eavenna The Benignant. 

Pisa The Prudent. 

Sienna The Powerful. 

Venice The Eich, the Wise, and the Lordly. 

IN SICILY. 

Palermo The Happy. 

Messina The Noble. 

Catanea The Illustrious. 

Syracuse The Faithful. 

Girgenti The Magnificent. 



MILAN. 169 

Milan is well worthy of the title of " Grand," and Napoleon 
honored her claim to the appellation when he selected her as 
the capital of the Italian peninsula. Her present population 
is 133,000 ; in the zenith of her glory it exceeded 300,000. 
In the course of her history she has sustained 42 sieges, and 
was 24 times taken by assault. She is now in subjection to 
the power of Austria. 

The cathedral of Milan is one of the seven wonders of the 
world. It has a paved square before it. 

The immense palace of the Viceroy stands upon the left, 
and faces the square. Before the gates of the palace are 
posted two brazen field-pieces, mounted upon carriages, with 
accompanying powder-tumbrils at their side, in constant readi- 
ness for service. At noon, every day, regiments of the line 
are reviewed before the palace. The uniform of the Austrian 
army is novel and beautiful, the coats being white, and the 
pantaloons blue. The caps of soldiers are mounted with cot- 
ton pompons, colored yellow and black, while the caps of the 
officers display plumes of black or green. The coats are 
faced with either violet, red, green, azure, black, or yellow 
cassimere. No epaulettes are worn. Stars upon the collars 
are put to denote the rank of the minor officers, and gold col- 
lars with stars of silver to represent officers of superior rank. 
The swords used are all very long, and are of a curved or 
sabre form. They repose in scabbards of steel, highly pol- 
ished. The sword-belts and suspension-straps are of gold. 
The sashes are either of gold or of rich yellow silk. The but- 
tons worn are always plain. The music of the band sounds 
with thrilling effect upon the nerves. All the instruments are 



170 MILAN. 

of brass, and of great volume. The drums sound like the 
humming melody of a thousand bee-hives. The bass drums 
are so large that they are conveyed upon a two-wheeled con- 
trivance specially adapted for the purpose. Almost all the 
officers and soldiers have been under fire, and won medals 
and crosses, which they wear upon the breast, suspended by 
ribbons of a blood-red color. The appearance of the Imperial 
columns at noon, in front of the cathedral, is truly brilliant. 
The effect of the sun upon an army, clad in coats white as 
the driven snow, is remarkable beyond expression, and when 
music swells along the ranks, the grandeur of the scene is 
complete. It is then that the profession of the soldier looks 
inviting and fascinating. But every picture has its dark side, 
and so has war. After seeing one of these reviews, in the 
course of a walk, I found myself at the extreme end of 
the city, and upon mounting the green rampart to gain a 
commanding view, the first object that I beheld was the spa- 
cious arena of the military hospital, filled with invalid soldiers, 
some sick from wounds and some from diseases. Some were 
in the sun, some in the shade, and some under trees ; all were 
moving about like muffled spectres. The triumphal banner, 
music, the snowy coat, and the waving plume, were gone ! 
and nothing but a living graveyard remained behind. 

Almost all the churches and many of the palaces of Milan 
have angels upon their tops. Some serve as trumpet-blowers, 
some as preachers, some as cross-beard's, some as shield-bear- 
ers, and not a few as guardians. As they are much exposed, 
being out in all weather and constantly on duty, they are very 
providently furnished with lightning-rods for their protection. 



MILAN. 171 

Sometimes, when there is a row of angels together, a good stout 
iron wire passes along from the wing of one angel to another, 
so as to pass off the electric fluid in case the lightning should 
happen to strike any of the company. Notwithstanding all 
that St. John the Divine has said, in the xviith chapter of the 
book of Revelation, about the mystical woman arrayed in 
scarlet and purple, the Church of Rome, by a strange fatuity, 
still persists in dressing herself in these ominous colors. The 
other day, I noticed the procession of the Host issue from the 
main door of the Milan cathedral, on its way to administer its 
consolations to the dying. The bellman marched first, carry- 
ing in his hand a large brass bell, like such as are used on 
board steamboats to summon passengers to pay their fare. 
He was clothed in scarlet. As he rang the bell every knee 
bowed, and every head was uncovered, while carriages and 
beasts of burden paused in their course. Next followed the 
canopy over the Host, which was also of scarlet ; the robes of 
the priest were likewise scarlet, and the candle-bearing boys 
were also clad in scarlet ; even the ceremonial boxes were of 
the same color. In Rome, scarlet and purple are the fashion. 
The Sacred College of Cardinals (seventy in number), and the 
Pope himself, dress in scarlet — and wear scarlet hats, and 
even scarlet shoes. 

The carriages of the Cardinals and of the Pope are as 
large as the omnibuses of America ; they are lined inside and 
painted outside scarlet. The trappings of the horses, the 
liveries of the coachmen and footmen, the uniform of the 
papal guard, and the garniture of the papal throne and foot- 
stool, are of the same flaming color. A Cardinal has three 



172 MILAN. 

footmen — one to help him out of the carriage, another to sup- 
port his scarlet robe, and another to cany his scarlet parasol. 

When the churches are decorated, they are almost inva- 
riably hung with scarlet and purple. 

When I was in the " Eternal City," I met with a Presby- 
terian clergyman from Boston, and, though a very grave man, 
he could not help smiling when we reflected together how 
unfortunate the Church of Rome had been in the selection of 
her colors. 

The Italian people are fond of employing, on almost all 
occasions, figures for emblems. For example, the litter that 
conveys the sick to the hospital has the image of a bird upon 
the top, with a palm-branch in its mouth ; and the porter at 
the hospital door on a Sabbath day, stands with a large metal 
plate with a human skull upon it, painted black, to signify 
" collections received for the dead." At a funeral of a child, 
the body is conveyed to the church in a box covered with a 
rosy pall, with a wreath upon it, and is borne thither by four 
boys dressed as angels, each of the boys wearing a pair of 
wings made of boards fastened to his back, and painted very 
angelically. The crowns of their heads are liberally powdered 
with rye flour to represent the ashes of mourning. 

At Messina, in the celebration of the Assumption of the 
Madonna, a huge car is introduced, forty feet high, supported 
by iron machinery, and very fancifully decorated. The car 
is drawn through the streets for three days. The base repre- 
sents a tomb, occupied by a choir chanting over the body of 
the Madonna. The twelve apostles are in attendance, person- 
ated by youths of good families. 



MILAN. 173 

Above them is a circle that revolves horizontally, with 
children attached to it representing angels, under a large Sun 
and Moon that turn vertically, with six infants as cherubim 
suspended at the ends of the principal rays. The infants and 
children suffer exceedingly in sustaining the parts assigned 
them, and when taken down, are not unfrequently half dead 
from fright and fatigue. 

As to the girl who personates the Madonna, I was in- 
formed that it was always deemed prudent to place her under 
the custody of the police for some days afterward, to save her 
from the infatuation of the lower orders, who would, unless 
thus restrained, tear the hair off her head for relics. 

The lungs, it is well known, sustain only a subordinate 
part in the economy of life. In one of the Romish parades, a 
boy, who had been gilded over and exhibited to represent the 
Golden Age, died in consequence of the obstruction occasioned 
to the vessels of circulation. 

No foreign newspapers are admitted into Milan, except 
such as are of a moderate or neutral character. There is only 
one paper published in the city. It is entitled the " Gazetta 
di Milano." It is about the size of an American penny paper, 
and is under the direction of the Government, and sold at 
eight cents per copy. It never says any thing about what 
may happen in the city. All local intelligence is suppressed. 
It gives, however, a daily abstract, taken from the Imperial 
observatory, as to the state of the heavens, direction of the 
winds, humidity of the atmosphere, and grade of the thermo- 
meter. It contains no business advertisements. The following 
is a brief index of contents, copied from one of its numbers. 



174 MILAN. 

Empire of Austria — Vienna ; honors awarded to Marshal Badetzky, 
the savior of his country ; the marshal dines at the table of the Empe- 
ror as an invited guest ; Pesth ; execution of Count Batthyani and 
Baron Jessanak, two of the leaders of the Hungarian insurrection, with 
an account of the confiscation of their estates, movable and immovable. 
[The value of Count Battkyani's property thus confiscated being esti- 
mated at seven millions of florins, or three millions two hundred and 
ninety thousand dollars.] 

Kingdom of the Two Sicilies — Account of the Pope's visit to the 
Museo Borbonica; Naples ; ceremony of kissing the Pope's foot, with 
the names of distinguished personages admitted to that honor [among 
which appear the names of the directors and alumni of the Koyal 
College]. 

Boman States — Arrival and departure of illustrious individuals; 
arrests. 

Spain — New custom-house tariff adopted ; departure from Cadiz of 
the frigate Terrolana with a company of missionaries for the evangeli- 
zation of New Holland. 

France — Speech of M. Dupin in the National Assembly; trial of 
prisoners at Versailles. 

Great Britain — Information relative to Sir John Franklin's expedi- 
tion to the North Pole. 

Turkey — Disorders of Samos. 

America — News from California. 

Public Amusements — Notices of the performances to be exhibited 
at the various theatres in the evening. 

The censorship of the press is very rigid. No books can 
be published without the examination and approval of the 
Government. Politics and religion are interdicted subjects ; 
but in reference to treatises upon the sciences, belles-lettres, 
fine arts, architecture, or mechanics, the Government is, gene- 
rally speaking, very considerate and liberal. 

At a banquet given at Vienna to Marshal Radetzky, Dr. 



MILAN. 175 

Kluck, in drinking to the health of the Marshal, exclaimed, 
" To the man that we all love and venerate ! To the man 
admired by Europe and by the world ! To the hero Ra- 
detzky, health and long life !" 

The churches of Hungary have suffered very much from 
the late revolution. The church property previous to that event 
yielded an annual revenue of 400,000 florins ; but at present, 
instead of yielding any revenue, large sums will be required 
in order to repair the damages which war has done to them. 

Upon the surrender of the fortress at Comorn, the 
Hungarian patriots, among other things, relinquished four 
hundred church bells, which they had intended to cast into 
cannon. The churches of Rome were during the revolution 
deprived of very many bells, taken for a similar purpose. 
After the fall of the Republic, the cannon in the fortress of 
St. Angelo were sent to the foundry, to be converted into 
bells, to supply such churches as had lost those wakeful 
monitors. 

The ladies of Milan dress themselves with much propriety. 
Their chief aim appears to be to emulate each other in 
simplicity. The gay colors so common to Southern Italy are 
seldom worn by them. They are accustomed to brush their 
hair completely from the forehead and temples. This 
practice causes them to appear as neat as Quakeresses. Capes 
of lace are worn fitted neatly to the bust, with a narrow neck 
collar, hid by a plain pink or azure colored ribbon. During 
the revolution it was the tri-color. 

The hats are of the cottage form, rather small, and cut in 
a very modest style. The favorite flowers among the ladies 



176 MILAN. 

are the camellia and the dahlia. Their hats have generally 
upon the left side a large full blown camelia or dahlia, 
without any other accessory. The bouquets for ladies are 
principally formed of these flowers, and the garlands and floral 
offerings cast upon the stage to popular actresses, are of the 
same composition. 

Speaking about hair, it may not be amiss to say that the 
ladies of Sorrento, the birth-place of Tasso, braid their tresses 
and then arrange them in the form of a wreath, such 
as artists are wont to place upon the brow of their favorite 
bard. 

In Italy, toward the going down of the sun, the ladies are 
accustomed to repair to the balconies of their habitations, and 
to occupy them until the evening shades have appeared. At 
that pensive hour the balconies are as frames, inclosing pic- 
tures more beautiful than any in the noblest galleries of the 
Italian capitals. 

Venice was the last of the Italian Republics. Her 
independence lasted only seventeen months. Her surrender 
to Marshal Radetzky occurred on the 22nd of August, 1849, 
and on the 25th the Austrians entered her gates. According 
to General Hess the siege of Venice cost the Austrians ten 
thousand men, besides fifteen thousand invalids and sick, and 
two millions of florins in war materials and restoration of 
fortresses. More than fifty thousand passports were issued by 
the Austrian Governor to emigrants wishing to leave the city. 
Greece was the first country that offered them an asylum. 
The Government of Sardinia afterwards followed her example, 
and voted the sum of twenty thousand dollars as a fund for 



MILAN. 177 

their relief. In anticipation of the fall of Venice, a private 
subscription list was circulated through the Kingdom of 
Sardinia in the month of June, and in the course of a short 
time amounted to upwards of three thousand dollars. One 
subscription upon the list was of a somewhat singular 
character. It was that of a cavalry officer, who subscribed 
ten thousand francs to be divided into one hundred dowries 
of one hundred francs, each, to be paid severally to such 
young girls of the Kingdom of Sardinia, of good conduct, as 
should become espoused to the Venetian emigrants. 

The Neapolitan general, Filangieri, in a proclamation 
addressed to the inhabitants of Sicily, styles their island " La 
terra di Paradiso " — The land of Paradise. 

Milton it will be recollected, sojourned some time in Italy, 
and passed through her chief cities. His immortal poem 
abounds in metaphors and figures illustrative of the history, 
the mythology, and the glory of this classic country. Let 
the volume of Milton be opened at Avernus, Parthenope, Mt. 
Palatine, Fiesole, or in the vale of Vallambrosa, and its pages 
seem to speak as if baptized afresh with the sacred elements 
of inspiration. Virgil, the bard of Mantua, has it is true sung 
of Italy in strains almost divine, but Virgil was a Pagan, 
Milton a Christian. 

The history of Mount Palatine is an epitome of that 
of Rome, and embraces a period of thirty-three centuries. 
The Palatine has been truly called the throne and grave of 
Roman dominion. On it Romulus founded Rome. 

I cannot express the emotions that I felt when I stood 
upon the summit of this mount, and pondered upon the 



173 MILAN. 

prospect which fell under its command. On that occasion 
memory revived her freshest recollections from Gibbon's great 
work upon the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and 
rehearsed them for my instruction. Among other things, she 
reminded me that it was in the neighborhood of this self- 
same hill, while musing among the crumbling columns and 
fallen temples of the Capital, that that splendid historian first 
conceived the magnificent design of writing his imperishable 
production. 

For miles and miles the vast prospect was fraught with 
the lingering remains of fallen greatness ; the tombs of Caius 
Cestus and Cecelia Metella and Scipio, the^ Coliseum, Palace 
of the Csesars, columns of Phocas, Trajan, and Antoninus, 
Temples of Concord and Fortune, and Jupiter Stator, the 
Forum and triumphal arches of Titus, Constantine, and 
Septimus Severus, and myriads of other objects of monu- 
mental interest. 

In the midst of so much majesty and sublimity, I felt as 
if I was in a storm at sea, looking out upon a shoreless ocean, 
and listening to the moaning billows of departed centuries, 
while about me were floating the wrecks and ruins of mighty 
empires, half buried beneath the surf. 

The cathedral of Milan constitutes its crowning glory. 
This edifice is so lofty, towering, and magnificent, that it 
would take the snow-capped Alps to earth it. A life-time 
might be passed in studying this great temple. There is a 
history in its every stone. St. Peter's, at Rome, occupied 
three centuries and a half in its erection, engaged the 
attention of forty Popes, employed some of the best architects 



MILAN. 179 

of the modern world, and cost upwards of sixty millions of 
dollars, a sum which, when we consider the facilities that Rome 
possesses in marbles and bronzes, does not exceed one-third 
of the expenditure that would be necessary to build another 
like it in any other capital. With two exceptions, all its altars 
are adorned with a mosaic, the labor and expense of which 
are almost incredible, each occupying one man on an average 
thirty-five years, and costing on an average fifty thousand 
dollars. The Vatican is another great wonder. It is a 
palace of learning and sculpture. The Vatican and the 
Cathedrals of Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan, may be 
compared to the works of Homer, Milton, and Shakspeare: 
they live not for a day, but for all time. 



CHAPTER XXYI. 

$tlan. 

The memorable decree of Napoleon, to prevent the American 
flag from trading with Great Britain, was issued in this city 
on the 27th of December, 1807. This decree was followed 
by the " British orders in Council," and then followed the 
war between the United States and Great Britain. Milan is 
the " Paris " of Italy, and its public edifices are numerous, 
stately, and magnificent. The city contains ten theatres, 
constructed almost all upon the ruins of places formerly 
sacred. The grand theatre of " La Scala " is built upon 
ground once occupied by the church of " Santa Maria." 
It was opened in 1778. It is probably the largest theatre 
in the world. The following are its dimensions in Paris 
feet: 

Length. Breadth. 

Pit 64. 4 57.4 

Stage 120.10 95.9 

Entire building 265. 3 100.5 

The interior contains six rows of boxes, from thirty-six to 
thirty-nine in each row. The Emperor's box has the appear- 



MILAN. 181 

anee of a magnificent saloon. The curtains of the boxes are 
of rich yellow silk, fringed, while ornaments of gold are 
scattered profusely all over the house. Upon the front of the 
building is a much esteemed bas-relief representing Apollo in 
his car and the Goddess of Night apparently detaining him. 
This design is very appropriate because theatres generally 
keep open rather late. When Bonaparte was in Milan he 
attended some grand operas in this house. Several severe bat- 
tles were fought under his eye. On one occasion five hundred 
infantry and two hundred cavalry appeared upon the stage 
in battle array before him. One of the performers personated 
Napoleon, and conducted himself in that character so much to 
Bonaparte's satisfaction, that he sent him the next day a roll of 
gold and one of his own uniforms, as a mark of his approba- 
tion. All the great operas, such as " Attila," " Norma," " Na- 
buco," " Ernani," " Marino Faliero," etc., as well as the grand 
ballets, are produced here in a style of splendor and magnifi- 
cence almost incredible. In some of the " ballets " it is no 
uncommon thing to see five hundred dancers in motion on 
the stage together. The Austrian Government contributes 
annually about forty thousand dollars toward defraying the 
expenses of the establishment. An actor, in performing in such 
a theatre and beholding such masses of spectators rising tier 
above tier before him, cannot help feeling himself to be indeed 
surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses." The scenery 
and stage movements of an establishment like this, are, as 
may well be supposed, upon a highly imposing scale. If you 
should take a position during the performance close by the 
stage, where you could hear the orders for shifting the scenes, 
8 



182 MILAN. 

and mark their execution, you would very likely imagine 
yourself on board a man-of-war suddenly tacking ship off a 
lee shore. The terms of admission for a season at the " La 
Scala " are remarkably reasonable : for example, subscription 
to a seat in the platea or pit for seventy nights, would be only 
seventy zwanzickers, or about eleven dollars and twenty 
cents ; while for a seat in the " loggione " or amphitheatre, 
for the same period, would cost eighteen zwanzickers, or two 
dollars and eighty-eight cents. For this small sum you would 
hear the music of some of the sublimest of the Italian operas, 
executed in a style that would put all competition at defiance. 
The best talent of Europe is to be found at the " La Scala." 
Here it will be remembered that Malibran, Pasta and Parodi 
in the opera, and Elsler in the ballet, have gathered some of 
their most enduring laurels. Milan is, in fact, the musical 
capital of Italy. 

Marshal Radetzky may be called the "Wellington of 
Austria." It is chiefly to his military talents that the House 
of Austria owes the recovery of her Italian possessions. For 
Ins services in the Italian campaigns he has received honors 
and acknowledgments from nearly all the continental sov- 
ereigns of Europe. He is the possessor of thirty-two orders 
and decorations, and is a citizen of honor of twenty-six 
different cities of the monarchy. As a monument to his 
fame as conqueror of Italy, one of the highest mountains of 
the empire is to be called " Alpi-Radetzky? 

The Emperors of Austria consider themselves the lineal 
descendants of the Csesars, and on this account affix the 
words " Ccesar Augustus " after their names. Besides the 



MILAN. 183 

titles of Emperor of* Austria, King of Bohemia, Lombardy 
and Venice, they have forty-eight other titles, which are all 
enumerated in the promulgation of important laws. 

Some idea of the extent and promiscuous character of the 
population composing this vast empire may be inferred from 
the fact that its laws have lately been published in ten differ- 
ent languages and dialects. The uniform of the Austrian 
army is white, and when its soldiers are drawn up in review 
on a field-day, they resemble an immense forest of trees 
covered with snow. The military force of this empire is 
about 650,000 men; and, in emergency, may be increased to 
800,000. According to the official Gazette of Milan there 
are three millions and a half of Protestants living in Hungary. 
The Hungarian Declaration of Independence was drawn up 
by Szacsvay. He perished upon the scaffold. In Europe, 
people take off their hats to great men ; in America, great 
men take off their hats to the people. Universal suffrage, 
says a French author, renders the children of men equal to 
the children of the gods. 

The numbers of the houses in Milan commence at 
No. 1, and ascend in regular consecutive order from street 
to street, through the entire city. From this circumstance, 
the numbers of the most modern buildings ascend above 
£000. There is no such thing as a duplicate number in the 
place. 

The other day I visited the church of " St. Thomas." 
It was gloomed with mourning in consequence of the death 
of a count. It was not merely draperied, but fairly 
clothed with black cloth and black crape. Even the columns 



184 MILAN. 

facade, doors, and roof, were dressed in sable. The building, 
thus clad, had the appearance of an immense black hearse. 
Inside it was so dark that you could scarcely recognize a 
friend. 

The quantity of tapestry required to dress a large church 
is immense. Some of the cathedrals of Italy, for example, 
would need as much as would suffice to equip the " North 
Carolina," or any other line of battle ship in sails. 

The Italians seldom make fires in the winter time ; 
they warm their churches and their apartments with their 
breath. 

The real name of Pius IX is Giovanni Maria Mastai 
Ferretti. The Popes seldom adopt their own names when 
elected to the pontificate ; they generally assume some 
other ; thus " John Mary Mastai Ferretti," took that of 
Pius IX. 

Recently I noticed in a shop window a singular caricature. 
A sick man upon his bed, surrounded by friends looking upon 
him with solicitude, while a physician at the table is writing 
a prescription for the patient, The caricature is styled, 
" Passport for another world." 

In another window I noticed an engraving of the vine of 
Christianity twining itself around the cross. The popes con- 
stituted the trunk and pith of the vine, commencing at the 
root with the Saviour, and Peter his first successor, until Pius 
the Ninth rose upon the head of the vinous trunk. The arms 
or branches of the vine, represented the different countries of 
the Roman Catholic religion. Italy was the chief branch : — 
Chili, Peru, and Mexico, were minor ramifications, On the 



MILAN. 185 

right and left were lopped off brandies marked Jerome, 
Luther, Huss, Melancthon, Wickliffe, Knox, Wesley, Deism, 
Atheism, Judaism, Iconoclastism, and Mahometanism. These 
branches were falling below into raging fires. At the foot of 
the engraving I observed a certificate from the hand of his 
holiness the Pope in approbation of the work. 

On funeral occasions in this countiy you sometimes 
behold strange sights. The other day during the celebration 
of a funeral, I saw over the door of the church of " Maria 
delle Grazie " the figures of three skeletons in a crouching 
attitude, with a long crape veil gracefully cast over their 
craniums. This I judged to be a parody upon the " Three 
Graces." 

The "Trieste Observer" has for its motto "Liberte 
Legale " — (Legal Liberty). In Europe people are treated 
more like children than men. A learned professor in Milan 
compares John Bunyan to Dante : and says that Bunyan is 
Dante in English prose. 

The Italians excel in music, poetry, and the fine arts. 
This to some extent may be explained by a reference to 
their past political situation, the nature of which has almost 
precluded their turning much attention to other pursuits. All 
day long I hear the notes of beginners learning to sing — 
-patiently training their voices for the concert and the opera. 
Even the itinerant organ grinders know all the chief operas 
by heart, Italy is so musical. 

Tickets of absolution are given by the priests in this 
country. These tickets are presented and indirectly serve 
as letters of recommendation. In some situations of respon- 



186 MILAN". 

sibility, these tickets are indispensable to obtaining employ- 
ment. 

The colossal stone statues of giants, which support the 
massive parts of the old palaces of Milan, have many of them 
wigs upon their heads, woven by nature out of plantlets and 
grass. 

In this city no midnight religious celebrations are allowed. 
They are prohibited for fear of rebellion. Christmas-eve is 
therefore a silent night. 

In this place there is one inn called the inn of Promessi 
Spoxi — (after Manzoni's popular novel), and another the inn 
of the " Madonna " — in compliment to the Virgin Mary. 

Large quantities of American cotton in bales are brought 
into Milan, and afterwards disposed of among the different 
manufacturing establishments in the environs of the city. 
This cotton is brought hither from Genoa, by horse and 
donkey power. Recently a manufacturer conducted me 
to his residence and showed me a magnificent table, the top 
of which had a representation in woods of choice selection, 
so put together as to illustrate, like a picture, the various 
stages of the cotton plant — ten stages in number, from the 
germ and the bud to the cotton full blown by the wind. All 
the various tints and phases were admirably delineated. This 
work he told me was executed after some drawings received 
from New-York. 

The provincial direction of public order have lately passed 
decrees for the better observance of the Sabbath and other 
holydays. It commands that labor shall cease, and stores be 
closed, except apothecaries' shops, which are permitted to sell 



MILAN. 187 

on such days at all hours. Dealers in bread and other 
provisions of necessity may sell after the celebration of the 
morning services in the churches. Coffee-house keepers and 
barbers may also at that time open then shops. Petty venders 
of gingerbread and candies for children, and of things and 
objects subservient to religious purposes, such as images, 
statues, and relics, as well as approved books, works of devo- 
tion, (except Bibles and Testaments !) are permitted to sell 
on such days as much as they please, at all hours, without 
molestation. Buffoon exhibitions in the streets are not to 
commence until after the conclusion of divine service. For 
every infraction of these regulations the fine imposed is to be 
not less than four or more than eight dollars. 

All the churches of the city have this inscription over 
their doors — " Indulgentia Plenaria" which may be trans- 
lated thus — " Sins forgiven on reasonable terms.'' 1 

The cemetery of Milan is situated about half a mile 
outside the walls, and is called " Foppone di Saint Gregorio." 
In Italy, be it remembered, every thing has its patron 
saint, whether it be a graveyard or a corn-field. This 
place of graves covers ground enough for a field of battle ; 
every grave is distinguished by a cruciform monument of 
either wood, stone, or iron ; these crosses are so crowded 
together that their shadows fairly darken the field ; they 
stand as close as the soldiers of an army. Upon many of the 
monuments I noticed the figure of a butterfly as an emblem 
of human life, and a serpent wound round a column, head 
and tail united, as a type of Eternity. In walking about for 
observation, I perceived that all the various professions were 



188 MILAN". 

fully represented — music, theology, medicine, painting, war r 
and commerce. Death had taken his recruits from every 
rank and condition in life. There were many visitors upon 
the ground ; they were looking for the tombs of their kin- 
dred ; their heads were uncovered as a mark of respect for 
the place, and their lips were moving in prayer for the souls 
of the departed. This spectacle revived the truthfulness of 
the Oriental proverb — "To-day we visit the tombs of our 
friends, and to-morrow our own are visited," and I considered 
that there was "a pillow upon which every head must rest, and 
every eye be closed." The favorite words upon the tombs of 
the "Just" are so poetical that I cannot omit their intro- 
duction. They read thus — " e morto nel hacio del Signore" 
— (he died in the kiss of the Lord). While pondering upon 
the topic of mortality, I thought of the venerable grave- 
diggers of the capitals of Europe, and of the startling num- 
bers that they must have assisted in consigning to the silence 
of the sepulchre. The catacombs of Paris contain at least 
three millions of bodies. Francis Pontrarei, the last grave- 
digger of the catacombs, deposited therein, according to his 
own register, in thirty years, ninety thousand subjects — had 
he continued in office thirty years longer, he would have 
gathered within the walls of the vast Necropolis committed to 
his charge, a population as numerous as the imposing armies 
marshalled under the banners of Bonaparte, Wellington, and 
Blucher, on the field of Waterloo. 

One of the chief virtues recommended in the Italian pul- 
pits, is charity ; and the most strenuous efforts are put forth 
to encourage its practical exemplification among the people. 



MILAN. 189 

The churches, oratories, and shrines, are burdened with 
money-boxes for the reception of alms. Outside, the churches 
are provided with apertures in their walls, so as to receive 
contributions after the doors have been closed. These aper- 
tures resemble the scupper-holes in the sides ot a ship. 

The patron saint of Milan is " Saint Carlo." His tomb is 
situated in its grand cathedral, and is said to be the most 
magnificent and costly in Europe. It is subterraneous, and 
is built directly under the dome of the temple. Besides its 
entrance, it has a mouth which is covered with a skylight 
and surrounded with a bronzed balustrade, encircling the 
figures of seraphs holding luminaries in their hands, which, 
like the lamps at the tomb of Mahomet, are always burning. 
Around this balustrade pilgrims and worshippers from all 
parts of the world are attracted to say their prayers and 
bestow their pence. A companion-way behind the high 
altar conducts below to the interior of this splendid mau- 
soleum. After effecting the descent, the appearance of 
the vestibule leading to the chapel and tomb, bears some 
resemblance to the cabin and saloon of a Hudson River 
steamboat with state-room on either side for various offices. 
The regular fee for a sight of this superb mausoleum is one 
dollar. Once a year, however, on the anniversary of the 
saint, the doors are thrown open, and the public are freely 
admitted without the payment of any specific fee, but in the 
certain expectation that each visitor will cast a piece of money 
into the treasury before he leaves the door. I visited the 
premises on the anniversary of the saint ; and the crowd on 
that account was so great that the visit proved any thing but 
8* 



190 MILAN. 

an agreeable operation. Following the heady current, I was 
in a few moments swept in front of an altar radiant with gold, 
silver, and precious stones. Above this altar appeared a 
sumptuous crystal sarcophagus, brilliantly illuminated. Within 
this sarcophagus sleeps " Saint Carlo," 

" Who sepulchred in such pomp doth lie, 
That e'en kings for such a tomb would wish to die." 

The saint is clad in his sacerdotal vestments, which glitter 
with costly jewelry and sparkling gems. His head is crowned 
with a rich mitre, while his hand sways a crosier of burnished 
gold, and his fingers display a profusion of diamond rings. 
The motto set in the armorial bearings of the saint, and let- 
tered over the door of the sepulchre, is " Humilitas? What 
humility had to do with so much splendor puzzled me to 
comprehend. Upon the altar in front of the sarcophagus was 
placed a large deep dish full of specie, and all who passed 
were expected to throw in something for the benefit of Saint 
Carlo. When the attending j:>riest observed the slightest 
remissness in this respect, he rapped loudly and frequently 
upon the rim of the dish, by way of calling the attention of 
the visitors to their duty. As we passed along, many of the 
females presented their rosaries to the priest, who thereupon 
gave them several smart rubs against the glass case of the 
saint, and then returned them to their owners. When I saw 
this, I was reminded of the practice of school-boys, who, when 
they visit a museum and see a loadstone, are wont to take 
cut their jack-knives and rub them upon it, so as to obtain 
the benefit of some of its magnetic properties. From a credi- 



MILAN". 191 

ble source, I am informed that the august mausoleum of Saint 
Carlo cost the enormous sum of one million of dollars. 

Philip IV., King of Spain, Frederick VisConti, and Alphonse 
Litta, were among its most munificent benefactors, and mar- 
ble tablets are conspicuously introduced to commemorate their 
generosity. Having seen all that was of iuterest below, I now 
returned to the body of the cathedral, in order to look at the 
paintings hung up to illustrate the life and history of the great 
saint. These paintings (one hundred in number) are of great 
size, and are hung up on every return of his anniversary. The 
cathedral on this occasion seemed converted into an immense 
picture-gallery. It was densely thronged with visitors, who 
appeared to be highly delighted with the exhibition. One 
picture represented the saint as selling a valuable domain, and 
distributing the proceeds (forty thousand dollars) among the 
poor. When I thought of the " tomb," I imagined that this 
deed of benevolence had been most abundantly rewarded. 
Another picture represented him as making a breakfast on 
bread and water, and another represented him as entering 
triumphantly into paradise. Saint Carlo is seen sailing, in fine 
style, under a cloud of canvas, borne on waves of angels — 
himself dressed in scarlet, without a hat, while the celestial 
haven is crowded with popes, cardinals, and other distin- 
guished personages, joyfully awaiting his arrival. 

In this country, it is customary to see exposed in the halls 
and at the doors of charitable institutions, on festival occasions, 
the busts and portraits of their principal benefactors, with the 
amount of their respective donations lettered beneath their 
effigies. 



192 MILAN. 

When at Rome, I visited the "Trinity Hospital," and 
noticed upon the marble walls of the grand hall the names 
of all its benefactors and patrons, cut in bold relief into the 
solid marble. Some of these benefactions dated antecedent 
to the discovery of America. The walls were storied over 
with names, dates, and figures. I studied these marble pages 
of benevolence veiy carefully, in order to find any record 
of persons who had done good with the left hand, without 
letting the right hand know any thing about it ; but the 
search was fruitless ; every sum was coupled with the name 
of the party who had bequeathed it, and nearly all the names 
were identified with some title of honor. Whenever I witness 
ostentatious displays of benevolence, I am irresistibly reminded 
of the remarkable observation of Seneca, that " he who gives 
to be seen of men, would not relieve a man in the dark." 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

tyt Jjtanrcnts anti Catttfftral nf ffikt 

The primitive monuments of Milan have disappeared. Wars 
and sieges have fazed them to the ground. The sixteen lofty 
columns that stand in desolate majesty before the church of 
Saint Lorenzo, are the only important ruins of the early past. 
Their history is obscure, but they are distinguished for being 
loftier than any range within the walls of Rome. Of the 
modern monuments, the Arena, a spacious open amphitheatre 
of the Napoleon era, is worthy of observation. It is intended 
for races, balloon ascensions, and public amusements; can 
seat forty thousand spectators ; and, when desired, may be 
supplied with water for naumachical or aquatic contests. Be- 
yond this, upon the verge of a broad plain, stands the famous 
"Arch of Peace," probably one of the most magnificent 
monuments in existence. This arch was originally intended 
to be called the "Arch of the Simplon," and to be embellished 
with a statue of Victory, in commemoration of the battle of 
Jena, and covered with bas-reliefs illustrating the wars and 
triumphs of Napoleon. When only half finished it fell into 
the hands of the Austrians, who changed its name to that of 
the "Arch of Peace," and instead of Victory, placed the 



194 MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILA^*. 

figure of Peace in the car, and transformed the relievos to 
represent the events that preceded the general pacification of 
Europe. On the top of the arch is a bronzed figure of Peace, 
standing in a car drawn by six horses. These horses are truly 
colossal. They are a size larger than the " Pennsylvania ani- 
mals." Four equestrian figures of Fame (one at each angle) 
announce her arrival with trumpets. The total cost of this 
monument, including the lodges on each side, and the iron 
railing, was 8714,195. The front, facing Milan, bears the 
following inscription : 

Imp. et Eegi, Francesco I. Augusto, 

adsertori perp. faustitatis parenti jpub. 

Pace populis porta. 

Longobardia Felix D. D. 

To the Emperor and King, Francis Augustus L, 

maintainer of perpetual prosperity, parent of the state. 

By peace obtained for the nations. 

Fortunate Lombardy gives and dedicates. 

The Italians have a great dread of lightning, and, for the 
better security of this great work, have caused the prominent 
figures to be ingeniously guarded by lightning conductors. 
The genius of Peace, for example, holds in her hand a tall 
wand tipped with the head of Minerva. This wand serves 
both as the sceptre and safeguard of the genius. Even the 
crowns in the hands of the four equestrian heralds are slightly 
pointed, so as to catch the electric fluid. The effect of the 
rising sun shining upon such a magnificent mass of pure white 
marble is remarkably sublime. Beneath the rays of that orb 
the Corinthian columns of the monument appear nobler than 



MONUMENTS AND CATHEDKAL OF MILAN. 195 

ever, and the relievos and the works of sculpture seem clothed 
with the very attributes of intelligence. It is then that the 
arch assumes a new interest, and appeal's as if, like the fabled 
dimity of the Greeks, it had started into being from the foam 
of the prolific deep. 

The chief and crowning glory of Milan is its cathedral. 
The foundation of this great structure was laid in 1386, at 
the instance and by the liberality of the Duke Giovanni Gale- 
azzo Visconti, to atone for the crime of imprisoning and poi- 
soning his uncle and father-in-law, Bernardo Visconti, and 
family, in the castle of Trezzo. It is of the Gothic order, is 
built of white marble, and is called the eighth wonder of the 
world. After the Visconti, twenty other great Milanese fami- 
lies assumed the prosecution of the work ; and in 1805, Bona- 
parte issued a decree which very materially expedited the 
undertaking. It is not yet entirely finished. In fact, very 
few of the great cathedrals of the old world are, even to this 
day, altogether completed. This condition of things arises 
from the grandeur of the scale on which they have been 
projected. In the execution of such extraordinary designs, 
nothing short of the wealth and talents of centuries is suf- 
ficient. 

The following table will assist the mind in forming a 
comparative estimate of the relative magnitude of the differ- 
ent remarkable edifices and monuments of the age : 

Length Breadth . Cross L. Height 

(inside). (inside). ' transepts, of nave. 

St. Peter's, Kome 613 131 430 445 150 

Cathedral, Milan 477 185 345 283 151 

St. Paul's, London 500 107 370 248 88 

Trinity, New- York.... 170 72 264 72 67* 



196 MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 

The height of the Pyramid of Cheops, in Egypt, is 479 feet. 

The height of the proposed National Monument, at Washington, is 
600 feet. 

The height of the mainmast of a line-of-battle ship of 120 guns is 
224 feet. 

The Cathedral of St. Peter, at Rome, and the Coliseum, 
severally occupy about six acres of ground apiece, and the 
Pyramid of Cheops, eleven. In one story only of the dome 
of the Cathedral of St. Peter, 1100 beams were employed, 
100 of which were of such magnitude that the arms of two 
men could not embrace them. The extent of the Vatican 
almost exceeds belief. De la Lande represents the number of 
its apartments to be 11,246; while according to Bonanni, 
the apartments of this vast edifice number not less than 
13,000. The inhabitants of Pome maintain that the Cathe- 
dral of St. Peter is never crowded, not even during the 
august ceremonies of a Christmas night. On important occa- 
sions, in the height of imposing celebrations, certain portions 
will, of course, be densely thronged, but one will always find 
abundance of space by passing over to the opposite side, or 
retiring a few feet behind the crowd. 

The following table, compiled from a reliable source, will 
exhibit in another form the capacity of this colossal pile, 
as compared with others throughout Europe, allowing four 
persons to every quadrate metre or square yard : 

CAPACITY. 

Persons. Yards. 

St. Peter's, Eome 54,000 13,500 

Milan Cathedral 37,000 9,250 

St. Paul's, London 25,600 6,400 



MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 197 

Persons Yards. 

Florence Cathedral 24,300 6,075 

St. Sophia, Constantinople, 23,000 5,750 

Notre Dame, Paris 21,000 5,250 

Pisa Cathedral 13,000 3,250 

St. Mark's, Venice 7,000 . 1,750 

The piazza or grand square of St. Peter's, in its widest 
limits, allowing twelve persons to the quadrate metre, or 
square yard, holds 624,000 ; allowing four to the same, drawn 
up in military array, 208,000. It is from the balcony of the 
cathedral, overlooking this square, that the Pope, on Easter 
Sunday, calls down the blessing of Heaven upon the earth in 
the presence of the multitude assembled from all nations, and 
here, over kneeling myriads, pronounces the words " TJrbi et 
Orbi " on the city and on the world. 

When I first surveyed the Cathedral of Milan, the general 
appearance of this vast Gothic edifice reminded me of a dense 
forest of shipping ; — as if one should stand on the heights of 
Brooklyn, and therefrom survey the girdling commerce of the 
port of New- York. It appeared to me as though it might 
be the fabrication of a superior order of beings ; as though 
archangels had employed their sublimest faculties in the 
undertaking. In regarding the colossal portals of this grand 
cathedral, one feels the full force of the majestic language 
of the Psalmist — language which the author of the " Night 
Thoughts" has so beautifully paraphrased, and which the 
churches of every land have extolled in song : 

" Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; and be ye lifted up, 
ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in" 

The face of the edifice is enriched with every imaginable 



198 MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 

illustration of Scripture, in sculpture ; while the stained glass 
of its immense windows exhibits, in another form, illustrations 
of a similar character. The dedication tablet over the grand 
entrance comprises only two words : 

" Marie Nascenti." 

(Mary being born ; or, in honor of the Virgin's birth.) 

The cost of this magnificent temple has been estimated 
by some writers at not far from one hundred millions of dol- 
lars. It contains many tombs of great value ; that of Saint 
Carlo alone cost one million. Even to this day, the annual 
appropriation for labor and repairs averages forty thousand 
dollars. It has two pulpits, made of bronze, encircling its 
main pillars, and each capable of holding twenty preachers. 
Behind the choir is the statue of St. Bartholomew, who was 
flayed alive. The sculptor has represented the muscular 
parts of the human body entire, with the skin most inge- 
niously taken off and cast as a robe or toga over the person. 
This work is considered to be worth its weight in gold. 

The confessional boxes are very numerous. Some of 
them are as old as the building. The penitents, in approach- 
ing these boxes, kneel and confess through a perforated 
square plate into the ear of the priest. These plates, from 
the constant action of the breath and lips of so many postu- 
lants, present a remarkably polished and lip-worn appearance. 
This temple is so immense that the people worshipping within 
its walls look like mites. It has no galleries ; hence, in order 
to clean its arches and brush its lofty naves, a movable tower 



MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 199 

is framed and put up to serve the purpose. The appearance 
of this tower reminded me of the portable observatory 
prepared for Napoleon on the field of Waterloo. Owing to 
the great altitude of this pile, the bells, although of remarka- 
ble power, are scarcely heard inside when tolled ; merely a 
faint sound is perceptible, as if coming from the clouds. The 
Emperor Joseph II., in his admiration of this vast temple, 
exclaimed that it " was a mountain of gold converted into 
marble." A peasant being observed gazing very thought- 
fully on the building, a bystander inquired what he judged it 
to be worth. He responded, " i" think it worth a fine day in 
July" alluding to the powerful effect produced in one day in 
that month upon the growth of the crops in the ardent clime 
of Italy. The answer is certainly both original and singular. 
On one occasion, I noticed some workmen suspended along 
the walls by ropes from the spires and turrets : they were 
scraping off the grass and plants which time had produced. 
In every part of the city, paintings, engravings, and models of 
this incomparable temple are exposed for sale. One of the 
best models I saw was executed in glass ; it was a very elabo- 
rate piece of work, about three feet in height, and valued at 
thirty dollars. Notwithstanding the age of the Cathedral, it 
has lost none of its novelty, not even in Milan. Nobody passes 
without looking up at it. The old residents who have gazed 
upon it from their childhood, tell me that they feel a fresh 
glow of pleasure every time they behold it. In the roof, 
near the front angle of the building, is a small aperture, which 
might almost be taken for a star. The sun's ray strikes 
through it, and at noon falls on a meridian line drawn on the 



200 MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 

marble floor. As the eventful moment draws nigh, the wor- 
shippers within and the people without range themselves near 
the line, and, with their watches in their hands, pause to set 
them by this infallible regulator. 

It will be remembered that it was in this Cathedral, in 
the year 1805, that the coronation of Napoleon, as King of 
Italy, took place, attended with all the pomp and splendor of 
the empire. The iron crown of Charlemagne, which had 
slumbered for a thousand years in the treasury of Monza, was 
then brought forth and placed with his own hands upon his 
brow. All the magnates of Europe were present, and the 
day was celebrated as a jubilee throughout the land. 

The appearance of this architectural wonder varies with 
the nature of the weather, and the changes of day and night. 
Probably it appears most sublime by moonlight, and most 
august in a snow-storm. 

On Christmas eve, over the main altar is suspended a 
large bright star, figurative of the Star of Bethlehem. Mul- 
titudes from a considerable distance are attracted to behold 
this sign. 

When the music of the two magnificent organs first buret 
upon my ear, and filled the aisles and arches of the temple, I 
was overwhelmed with wonder. It arose with all the sub- 
limity of an anthem on the deep. It was so grand, and so 
profound, that it sent a fresh acceleration of life through my 
system. It was the voice of the elements in harmonious 
agitation — 

"I was all ear, 
And took in strains that might create a soul 
Under the ribs of death." 



MONUMENTS AND CATHEDKAL OF MILAN. 201 

The task of ascending a pile of this magnitude is, it must 
be confessed, somewhat fatiguing ; but then the fatigue is 
only momentary, while the pleasure in compensation lasts for 
ever. 

After mounting, and counting one hundred and fifty-eight 
steps, I found myself on the roof of the edifice, in the midst 
of a perfect forest of marble columns, towers, spires, and mina- 
rets, pinnacled with statues. The guide informed me that 
there were ten thousand statues on the needles of these spires, 
and that five thousand more were yet required to finish the 
complement. The scene now became very grand. After 
wandering about a good season in this mazy labyrinth, I 
mounted the spiral stairway to ascend the grand main tower, 
which is elevated as high again above every thing else. As 
I ascended, I gradually rose above all the spires of the edifice, 
and left their marble population of statues beneath my feet. 
At length I passed the gold stars and the plumed angels, that 
culminated upon the points of some of the loftier columns, 
and when I ascended still higher, I could look down upon 
every thing, even upon the " fixed stars" and the backs of the 
angels. In my elevated position I felt as if I was in a bal- 
loon — suspend ed 

" Where the deep-transported mind may soar 
Above the wheeling poles, and at Heaven's door 
Look in." 

I paused a moment to scan the names of the many distin- 
guished visitors which covered the marble rail that encircled 
me. I had not the vanity to put my own name among the 



202 MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 

number, but I did put those of some of my countrymen, and 
among others that of the lamented " Bascom," whose flights 
of eloquence had so often, in my native land, carried my mind 
above the domes and towers of Europe. 

To gain my present elevation, I had mounted altogether 
Jive hundred and twenty steps. 

In the orient the sun was rising in his strength, and gild- 
ing the horizon with his glory. The prospect was one of 
ineffable magnificence ; but I preferred something of the ter- 
rific mingled with the magnificent. I wished to be in my 
cloudy height in a thunder-storm of wind, lightning, and tem- 
pest ; to be, as it were, in the very midst of the artillery of 
Heaven ; to see the powder flash from its bastions, and to 
hear the voice of the commanding Power directing the move- 
ment of its rumbling guns. 

I levelled the telescope in the direction of Monza, where 
the "Iron Crown" is kept, and the town lay like an illumi- 
nated picture before my eye. I looked toward the north, 
and there were the tented Alps, covered with sheets of snow. 
Milan and its environs lay round about me with innumerable 
avenues of communication, diverging as from a common focus 
in every direction of the compass. The guide pointed out 
the high roads to Venice, Genoa, and Paris. But how diffi- 
cult is it, in such a situation, to confine the mind by visible 
limitations ! In the presence of such a vast prospect, it 
becomes so enlarged and expanded that it travels with the 
telegraph, and spans the globe. 

Material magnitude ! what is it when compared with 
mind? "Creation (to adopt the language of an eloquent 



MONUMENTS AND CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 208 

divine), magnificent as it is, does not equal the grandeur of 
one immortal spirit. Majestic the universe undoubtedly is ; 
but it cannot think, feel, reason, imagine, hope, or love. Talk 
to me of the sun ! I might say, standing up in all the con- 
scious dignity of my own nature, the sun is not alive ; 'tis but a 
dead luminary, after all. I am living, I never was dead, and 
never can die ; and I therefore plant my foot on that proud 
orb, and say, 'I am greater than thou.' The sun cannot 
understand the geometry of its own motions, or the laws of 
its own radiating light ; but I can do both. From all its vast 
surface it cannot utter a single articulate sound. It is dumb, 
though magnificent. The sun cannot love one of the planets 
that revolves around it, but you and I can love all beings ; 
nay, were our hearts large enough, we could (to use the lan- 
guage of a great German writer) ' clasp the universe to our 
breast and keep it warm. 1 " 

With reluctant steps, I descended from the tower of the 
noble Cathedral of Milan, but the impressions of the visit are 
imperishable ; — they were too vivid ever to be dimmed by 
oblivion. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

tyi Miip of f olii. 

The victory of Napoleon upon the bridge of Lodi may be 
considered among the most remarkable achievements that 
distinguished his military career. He was at that period in 
his twenty-seventh year, and had but recently received his 
commission as commander-in-chief of the army of Italy. 
Within the brief space of thirty days from the opening of 
this, his first campaign, he had defeated the Austrians at 
Montenotte, Millesimo, and Mondovi, and compelled them to 
evacuate Piedmont and retire to the opposite bank of the 
Adda. The Adda is a rapid and deep river, and is crossed 
at the town of Lodi by a wooden bridge, called the " Bridge 
of Lodi." On the left bank of this river, the Austrians, under 
the command of Beaulieu, a veteran of seventy-six, halted, 
and posted themselves in all their strength to arrest the pro- 
gress of the victorious Napoleon. They planted thirty pieces 
of artillery upon the bridge, and stationed 12,000 infantry 
and 4000 cavalry upon the ground, to act in effective co-ope- 
ration. With such formidable means of defence, nothing 
but instant death appeared to await any demonstration on the 
part of the French to force the passage of the bridge. JSTapo- 



THE BRIDGE OF LODI. 205 

leon reached Lodi in the afternoon of the 10th of May, 1796, 
attended by his best generals and choicest troops, arid with- 
out hesitation immediately resolved to assail the Austrian 
position. A few moments antecedent, he delivered the fol- 
lowing laconic address to his soldiers : — " Frenchmen ! here is 
starvation, there is the enemy, beyond him plenty. March!' 1 '' 
His cavalry were ordered to cross at a place where the Adda 
was said to be fordable, and fall upon the Austrian flank ; 
meanwhile Bonaparte, at the head of 3,000 chosen grenadiers, 
under the shelter of the walls of the town, waited until the 
appearance of the cavalry who had crossed the ford had dis- 
quieted the Austrian flank ; at this critical moment, a word 
of command from Bonaparte brought the grenadiers upon 
the bridge ; they rushed forward with loud shouts of " Vive 
la Republique !" but their appearance was the signal for the 
opening of the Austrian artillery upon their ranks. The 
volleys which issued from these field-pieces were most terrific. 
At one time the French grenadiers, unable to resist the dread- 
ful storm, appeared for an instant to hesitate ; but Lannes, 
Bonaparte, and Berthier, hurried to the head of the column, 
and by their presence gallantly renewed the resolution of the 
soldiers, and carried the bridge. The artillerymen were 
quickly bayoneted, and the Austrian army put to flight, 
losing in their retreat upward of twenty guns, and a thousand 
prisoners, and perhaps two thousand more in wounded and 
slain. It has been said that no praise was more grateful to 
the ear of Napoleon than that which characterized him as 
"he of Lodi's Bridge."* 

* In my descriptions, the reader will perceive that I hurry forward 
9 



206 THE BKIRGE OF LODI. 

This celebrated bridge crosses the Adda at the town of 
Lodi ; it is five hundred feet in length, and built entirely of 
oak, and is supported by forty-two sets of tressels. The rail- 
ing; which flanks its sides is rather low, beino- only two rails 
hio-h. The bridge has no curve or arch, and is level enough 
for the passage of a railroad. With the exception of the 
middle portion of it, which was destroyed in the Italian revo- 
lution of 1848, the bridge remains in its original condition, 
entire. It is let by contract to Signor Guiseppe Pogliani, who 
pays sixteen hundred dollars per annum for it ; and he collects 
from every pedestrian one cent, and from every carriage or 
other vehicle sixteen cents, toll. The proprietor is a man of 
about forty, of much taste, and has cultivated a little garden 
upon the embankment of the bridge. He speaks with rapture 
of his little garden with its wicket fence, and passes his leisure 
hours in meditation within its borders. He led me through 
this pleasant retreat, and culled for me a bouquet of the 
choicest flowers it contained. He kindly introduced me to 
his family, and communicated many interesting facts in rela- 
tion to the place. I found him very familiar with the history 
of the American Revolution. He lent me a costly copy of 
Botta's able history of the " War of American Independence," 
in Italian. He had read this work with, much enthusiasm, 
and prized it above all the books in his library. 

The district of Lodi is altogether of a pastoral character ; 
it contains 30,000 cows, and exports immense quantities of 
butter and cheese. As one passes through the country, his 

my figures (taking care to do so in good order) the same as. a genera} 
hurries forward his soldiers to an attack, 



THE BEIDGE OF LODI. 207 

senses are refreshed with the healthful odor of its meadows. 
The town of Lodi numbers about 18,000 inhabitants, and is 
surrounded by an old Gothic wall. A few venerable men 
still survive, who were residents in the place at the time of the 
" Battle." Since that event two generations have passed into 
oblivion. I succeeded in rinding one of Napoleon's old sol- 
diers, and accompanied him to the residence of the postmas- 
ter, in order to see a large design of the passage of the bridge. 
This work occupied a frame in the front parlor, and extended 
from window to window. I was much pleased with the spirited 
and truthful manner of its execution. My military companion 
informed me that he was an invalid at the hospital in Ratis- 
bon when Napoleon paid it a visit, and beheld the Emperor 
put a decoration upon the breast of a wounded officer about 
to suffer the amputation of a leg ; as soon as the limb was 
severed from the body, the soldier said to the surgeon, " Give 
me that leg." It was given him, and waving it in the air, he 
shouted, " Vive l'Empereur !" In a few hours afterward he 
expired. 

Lodi is one of the most quiet towns in Italy. Some of the 
streets are quite grass-grown ; every thing that meets the eye 
appears to wear a dreamy, peaceful aspect. The celebrated 
Madame Starke, who wrote an excellent "Guide-Book for 
Italy," died in this place. In rambling about the town, I 
noticed a hotel, called "Albergo del Papa" (Hotel of the 
Pope), with a Pope's head over the door. After leaving the 
town, I walked about half a mile beyond its gates, in order 
to see a little cemetery, on the margin of the Adda, called 
" Morti della Barbina," where had been collected all the dead 



208 THE BRIDGE OF LODI. 

and drowned soldiers, both French and Austrians, that were 
found after the termination of the terrible conflict upon the 
bridge. Here they were then placed, and here they still 
remain. An oratory stands upon the ground. As you enter 
this oratory, you behold on each side wooden cases, fifteen 
feet high, with wire-work before them, through the netting of 
which are visible the bones of the slain soldiers of Lodi, all 
covered with dust and cobwebs. There are several boxes in 
the wall, with tablets upon them, requesting alms to defray 
the expense of masses for the repose of the souls of the slain. 
I observed many old women at prayer in the oratory, and 
remarked that they finished their devotions by kissing the 
foreheads of the skulls in the cases. From this cause, many 
of the skulls had become as smooth as polished ivory. Over 
the door of this "Chapel of Death" I read the following 
quotation from the Scriptures : — " Exultabunt domino ossa 
humiliate/,." (" The humbled bones shall exult in the Lord.") 
The bridge of Lodi is well regulated and gravelled, and 
forms a very pleasant promenade. On holidays it constitutes 
the favorite resort of the people. The country along the 
banks of the river is very beautiful, and the air is always 
moved by fresh winds. The Adda is a very swift river, and 
runs with a strong current. After a rain-storm it swells and 
becomes quite deep ; on such occasions its depth would 
average twenty feet. A large stone statue of "Saint Gio- 
vanni Nepomiceno" stands upon the Lodi side of the bridge. 
This saint w r as, and is still, the protector of the river Adda. 
On the day of the battle, the cannonade was so furious that 
the saint could not protect even his own statue from destruc- 



THE BEIDGE OF LODI. 209 

tion. It was knocked down, had its head knocked off, one 
arm badly fractured, both legs broken, besides sustaining 
several severe contusions on the face. When the conflict 
was over, some pious persons collected the limbs, united them 
to the body, and restored the statue to its old place. 

Upon the opposite bank of the bridge, where the Austri- 
ans were engaged, resides the toll-gatherer, Signor Pogliani. 
Here stand five or six small low stone houses, and an old 
stone tower in the middle, with a tall lightning-rod rising 
above its top. These old buildings still bear the marks of 
the terrible scenes through which they passed. Even the 
sacred effigy of the Virgin Mary did not escape the fire ; it 
was pierced in two places by musket-balls. 

The inhabitants were highly gratified with the interest I 
manifested in reference to every thing connected with the 
history of the bridge. This gratification was much height- 
ened when I expressed the belief that, if the bridge in 
question was accessible to the people of America, it would be 
visited by perhaps hundreds daily. Signor Pogliani, the 
proprietor, perceiving that I was a young man, and not yet 
married, considerately introduced me to several blooming 
ladies of Lodi, and seriously pledged me that, if I was 
inclined to marry, he would engage to find me a wife in the 
place and send me home with a cargo of cheese ! 

While discoursing on the bridge, a thousand Austrian foot 
soldiers passed over with their guns, drums, and knapsacks : 
they marched three deep, and were soon followed by five 
hundred mounted hussars. I asked the proprietor if they 



210 THE BRIDGE OF LODI. 

paid any thing. "No," replied he, "they pay nothing, 
because they are our masters." 

I shall never forget a little incident that occurred in Milan. 
I had passed the evening with a young merchant in that city, 
and he, as I was about to depart, volunteered to accompany 
me home. It was a dim starlight night, and the walk some- 
what solitary ; as we passed under the gloomy arches of some 
public buildings, we encountered a long column of Austrian 
soldiers performing their nightly rounds. " Ah," exclaimed 
my friend, with a deep sigh, " there come our conquerors !" 

The Italians do not and cannot love the Austrians ; they 
are invaders and oppressors, and can never govern the countiy, 
except by the power of the sword. Never was the influence 
of Austria so omnipotent in the affairs of Italy as at this 
moment. This influence is felt from Venice even to the 
shores of Sicily. Lombardy is thronged with her military 
men, who display upon their breasts the various crosses of 
honor, received for their services in the suppression of the 
Hungarian and Italian revolutions. They are well paid, well 
fed, and are usually quartered in the most magnificent palaces 
of the provinces. The Italians feel much exasperated at the 
idea of crosses being conferred upon such men, and among 
one another do not scruple to give utterance to their senti- 
ments by saying, that anciently " they used to put thieves on 
crosses, but now-a-days they put crosses on thieves !" In view 
of the present condition of Italy, I might say -with the 
prophet Jeremiah ; " She weepeth sore in the night, and her 
tears are on her cheeks ; among all her lovers she hath none 



THE BRIDGE OF LODI. 211 

to comfort her ; all her friends have dealt treacherously with 
her ; they are become her enemies." 

Italy will reverence for ever the memory of Napoleon for 
his expulsion of the Austrians from her territory. The name 
of this great man is still a terror among her oppressors. From 
what I have seen in these old countries, I can readily appre- 
ciate the observation uttered by Chateaubriand in the 
Chamber of Peers, shortly after the banishment of the 
Emperor to the island of St. Helena, when he declared that 
" the great-coat and hat of Napoleon, placed on the end of a 
stick on the coast of Brest, would make Europe run to arms 
from one end to another." 

The best engraving that I have ever seen in circulation 
illustrative of the passage of the bridge of Lodi, is that con- 
tained in Ireland's large pictorial edition of the " History of 
Napoleon." This work also contains admirable views of 
nearly all his great fields of battle, from Lodi to Waterloo. 
These designs are reduced from the famous paintings which 
adorn the historical galleries of Versailles, and convey a 
faithful idea of the principal places rendered illustrious by his 
military achievements. 

I could not resist the temptation of cutting some pieces 
of wood from the bridge of Lodi, to be remitted as souvenirs 
to my friends in America. In accomplishing this pious 
operation, I unfortunately broke the blade of my knife, but 
this was a small loss in comparison with the value of the 
wood. 

In passing over the bridge I counted the number of steps 
and found them to be (from embankment to embankment) 



212 THE BRIDGE OF LODL 

tivo hundred and sixty ; as I did so, I pictured to myself, 
how fearful these steps must have been, when taken in ihe 
very face of the thundering discharges of the Austrian artil- 
lery. But the genius of Bonaparte triumphed over every 
opposition, and bore his advancing legions in triumph through 
the storm. 

As I surveyed from my position the political and moral 
prostration of Italy, and beheld the emblems of her con- 
querors meeting my eye in every direction, I panted for the 
resurrection of Napoleon, and felt that his appearance would 
be sufficient to put twenty years of fresh life into my 
body. 

It appears to have been the settled conviction of this 
great commander, that bold and decisive movements in 
military operations, were conducive, in the end, to the 
economy of life in an army. We have a practical exemplifi- 
cation of this theory, not only at Lodi, hut likewise in every 
important engagement that distinguished his extraordinary 
career. The remarkable words uttered by him in riding 
along the ranks of his army on the eve of the battle of Jena, 
can never be forgotten : " My children" said he, " you must 
not fear death; when soldiers brave death, they drive him 
into the ranks of the enemy." 



CHAPTER XXIX. 
Suscia, Xamlxartrq. 

Northern Italy, from Milan to the Adriatic, is called Lom- 
bardy, and abounds with many cities of great fame. In this 
section of Italy Shakspeare has fixed the scenes of some of 
his most celebrated plays and tragedies. " Othello," " Romeo 
and Juliet," the " Merchant of Venice," the " Two Gentlemen 
of Verona," the " Taming of the Shrew," and several others 
are, in an especial manner, associated with the recollections of 
Lombardy. 

The cities of this kingdom are numerous and possess 
much significance of character : Milan, Pavia, Brescia, Cre- 
mona, Bergamo, Lodi, Monza, Mantua, Verona, Vicenza, 
Padua, and Venice, still retaining to a remarkable extent, 
their original historical peculiarities. 

In Lombardy the earliest and freshest laurels of Napoleon 
were gathered, and in Lombardy his coronation as King of 
Italy was consummated by his assumption of the "Iron 
Crown " of her ancient kings. 

The titles of many of the marshals of France were also 
taken from places within the limits of this interesting section 
9* 



214 BRESCIA. 

of the peninsula: Montebello, Treviso, Belluno, Vicenza, 
Feltre, Rovigo, Bassano, Castiglione, Rivoli, and Conegliano, 
are intimately connected with the glory of the marshals of 
Napoleon. 

When exiled to the lonely isle of St. Helena, it was one 
of the favorite occupations of Napoleon to spread his large 
map of Italy, like a blanket, upon the floor, extend himself 
upon it full length, and review his Italian campaigns in the 
presence of Bertrand, Montholon, and Las Casas. 

It is yet undetermined whether the foundation of Brescia is 
to be ascribed to the Etruscans or to another people of anterior 
origin. The Romans, however, afterward took possession of 
the place, and its laws, language, customs, and divinities soon 
became purely Roman. The city is situated upon very 
elevated ground, and commands a most admirable view of 
the waving plains of Lombardy. The appearance of these 
plains from the heights of Brescia, reminded me of the aspect 
of the sea in a calm. The churches and habitations, glittering 
in the distance, looked like ships windbound. The city has 
three gates, and is three miles in circumference, and embraces 
3,570 houses, and 34,000 inhabitants. The Roman remains 
of Brescia are manifest in almost every section of the city. 
In the court of the Gambara house may be seen the remains 
of an ancient theatre of greater amplitude than that of either 
Herculaneum or Pompeii. In the year 1820, in the course 
of some excavations into a lofty mound within the walls of 
the town, an antique temple was discovered of great interest. 
According to inscriptions, this edifice was built in the year 
72, under the reign of the Emperor Vespasian. Since its 



BRESCIA. 215 

exhumation it has been converted into a museum, under the 
title of Museo Patrio Bresciano, and is enriched "with a 
valuable collection of works of art recovered from the ruins 
of antiquity. In the main apartment is preserved the 
heathen altar of the temple. The figure which stood upon it, 
is said to have been three times the size of life. In the left 
apartment there is another altar in good preservation. The 
style of construction, and general appearance of the pagan 
altars of the ancients, closely resemble those of the present- 
day seen in the Roman Catholic churches. In fact, any of 
the pagan temples of the ancients would serve for the imme- 
diate resumption of the rites of Romanism — all that would 
be necessary would be merely to change the images, or their 
names. 

The famous bronze statue of Victory occupies the most 
conspicuous place in the museum, and is certainly a work of 
great merit. It was recovered among other things from the 
rubbish that once filled the building. In 1835, the Emperor 
of Russia erected a monument at Chulm, to commemorate a 
triumph gained at that place by the Russian army, over Van- 
damme, in the campaign of 1813. The monument was a 
high pedestal surmounted by a bronze figure of Victory, after 
that contained in the museum of Brescia. 

The walls of the museum are appropriated to the reception 
of historical, mythological, and obituary tablets. I was much 
interested in the examination of a case containing a remark- 
able collection of coins and medallions, both ancient and 
modern, and noticed with pleasure among the number a medal 
with the head of Franklin upon it, bearing this inscription : 



216 BRESCIA. 

"Benj. Franklin, natus, Boston, XVII. Jan. MDCCVI." 

This medallion was placed side by side with others of 
men of great fame ; such for example as Columbus, Galileo, 
Marco Polo, Frederick the Great, &c. There are probably 
more lightning rods in Italy than in any other country. The 
Italians reverence the memory of Franklin, and speak of him 
as a philosopher who would have done honor to Greece when 
Athens was in her glory. 

The album of the museum contained no recent names of 
American visitors ; the latest written were full two years old. 
"When I say American visitors I mean citizens ot the United 
States. In Europe, the visitors from South America and 
Mexico are all called " Americans," and the United States 
consuls assure me that the people in the mass seem to think 
that the jurisdiction of the Government represented by them 
extends from Cape Horn to the North Pole. 

Brescia is full of fountains. Next to Rome it numbers 
more than any other city in Italy. It contains seventy-two 
public and four hundred private ones. The concert of its 
waters is very pleasing to a stranger, and forms one of the 
striking features of the place. 

The galleries of the city are numerous; those most 
worthy of note are the Averoldi, Brognoli, Lechi, Fernaroli, 
and Tosi. The " Tosi " gallery is called the " Luxembourg of 
Brescia," and is justly entitled to that distinction. In the 
Lechi collection I observed in a very small frame three minia- 
tures of a very minute size, arranged in the following order, 
viz. 



BEESCIA. 217 

1st — Washington. 
2d — Napoleon. 
3d — Franklin. 

This delicate tribute of pre-eminence to the American 
patriot appeared to me worthy of notation. The Italians pay 
the greatest deference to the memory of Washington, and his 
bust may be seen in eveiy part of the peninsula. In the Villa 
Negroni, in Genoa, the Marquis Giovanni Carlo di Negro has 
dedicated a beautiful arbor to his remembrance. At Leghorn 
I saw a large Italian ship, with this inscription on her stern — 
" Washington : Ancona ;" also, a large freighting barge, 
bearing the same name. In the same city I had the honor 
of an introduction to a venerable Eoman citizen who had 
shaken hands with Washington and Napoloon. 

In Lombardy, in time of peace, conscripts are released 
from service on the payment of three hundred and fifty- 
dollars. No substitutes are received. The barracks, fortifica- 
tions, and military arrangements of Italy, are on an imposing 
scale. This state of things appears to be a kind of necessaiy 
evil. It would be the same if the different kingdoms were 
republics. I doubt very much whether any government 
could stand in Europe without the aid of a standing army. 
The masses are not sufficiently educated to govern themselves. 
The enlightened and well-disposed parts of society are 
sadly in the minority. Without military support the best 
government would soon be subverted by the mob — order and 
security would be impossible. 

A number of the oldest churches in Brescia have been 
dismantled and are now in repose. Like ships of war, they 



218 BRESCIA. 

have finished their career of active service and are " lying in 
ordinary," and serve as " receiving ships " for the reception 
of timber, hay, and troops. 

The other morning I attended the funeral of a young lady 
of Brescia. Her bier was covered with a white pall, a crown 
of fresh flowers was placed upon it, with a gentle bird perched 
in the centre to represent the soul. Six young females, robed 
and veiled in raiment of snowy whiteness, bore the departed 
to her new-made grave. A company of maidens followed 
the procession, bearing crosses, burning tapers, and chanting 
the litany of the Romish Church. The people took off their 
hats while the train passed by. 

In returning I noticed a store closed, with a bill upon the 
door ; the bill read thus : " Per la morte di uno Padre" (for 
the death of a father.) Never before did language appear so 
tender and pathetic. In the afternoon I followed the funeral 
of an Austrian officer who was consigned to the tomb with 
military honors. In the van marched a soldier with a cross, 
draperied with crape ; then followed the band, then the 
chaplain, and then the body, borne by six soldiers. The bier 
was covered with a rich black pall, upon which rested the 
equipments and habiliments of the fallen officer. The sun- 
beams glistened upon his useless sword, and the murmuring 
winds ruffled, as they passed, the ruddy feathers of his war- 
plume. The colors of his command were shrouded in sable, 
and the muffled drum rolled the funeral beat. Never shall I 
forget the music sent forth on this solemn occasion. It was a 
grand dirge, full of military sublimity : worthy a soldier's 
requiem. The cemetery of the city is situated about a quar- 



BRESCIA. 219 

ter of a mile beyond the walls. In proceeding to it we 
passed a large camp, dedicated to the exercise of troops, and 
saw an imposing body of infantry under the review of one of 
the Imperial archdukes. Continuing our course we soon 
arrived at the vast " Campo Santo," or burial field of Brescia. 
The military camp we had just passed was large and some- 
what astonished me, but I soon discovered that death's camp 
was larger than the camp of war. Of all the burial fields 
heretofore seen by me, this appeared to be the most extensive 
and remarkable. It reminded me of the paintings and 
descriptions of the academic groves of Greece. It seemed 
on the whole to be the conception of some comprehensive 
intellect, who had produced it after having studied all the 
plans and works of past and modern ages upon the subject. 
The chapel is one of the neatest and most chaste edifices 
imaginable. Above its altar is a marble figure of the arch- 
angel commissioned to blow the last trump, which he holds in 
his left hand, and with his right points toward the heavens. 
This figure is as white as snow. Beneath his feet are vases 
to represent the ashes of the martyrs. The niches of the 
chapel, which is of a circular form, are filled with the busts 
of the saints of Brescia. Most of the churches of the city 
are named after these saints. 

In contemplating the popular cemeteries and battle-fields 
of Europe, I have often thought of the trifling amount of 
room men occupy when committed to the earth. Some years 
ago, with this idea in view, a thoughtful mathematician of 
Boston was led to consider and answer the question, " Where 
will men find room at the general judgment V and showed 



220 BKESCIA, 

conclusively that a comparatively small portion of the earth's 
surface would be sufficient to contain the aggregate multitude 
of human beings that have existed on the globe, and allow a 
yard square to each person. " Suppose," said he, " for the 
sake of round numbers, that the earth has stood 6,000 years, 
and that the population has always been 800,000,000, as 
now estimated, sixty centuries multiplied by three generations 
in a century, would make 180 generations of 800,000,000; 
and these multiplied together would make 144,000,000,000, 
as the supposed whole population of the globe since the 
creation. Then suppose one yard square for each individual 
of this vast number, how many miles square would be suffi- 
cient for the whole? Multiply 320 by 320, the number of 
rods in a mile, and the product will be 102,400, as the 
square rods in the square mile. Then multiply these square 
rods by 5^, and this product again by 5^, the number of 
yards in a rod, and the product will be 3,097,600, as the 
number of square yards in a square mile. Then divide the 
144,000,000,000 by 3,097,600, and the quotient will be 
46,487 and a fraction over, as the number of square miles 
necessary to contain, in erect or lying posture, the present 
and vast population of the globe. Then extract the square 
root of 46,487, and the root will be 215 and a fraction, 
showing that 215 or less than 216 miles square of country — 
say as large as the state of New York — would furnish stand- 
ing place of a yard square, for the one hundred and forty-four 
thousand millions of the earth's supposed population from 
the creation to the end of six thousand years. 

The natives of Brescia are a remarkably spirited people. 



BRESCIA. 221 

In March, 1849, finding the garrison of the place materially 
weakened by the heavy bodies of troops drafted off to the war 
in Piedmont, they revolted against the Austrian domination, 
and became masters of the city. Their victory was of short 
duration. General Haynau in a few days appeared before its 
walls, with 3200 men and a heavy battering train. He found 
the streets strongly barricaded ; after a fear fid struggle, he 
carried the barricades at the point ot the bayonet, every 
inch of ground being fearfully disputed on both sides. As a 
last resort, the inhabitants abandoned the streets and took 
refuge in their houses. The troops fired the houses, and 
many of the inmates perished in the flames. The massacre 
that ensued was bloody beyond parallel. The victor ordered 
the execution of the principal insurgents, and imposed a fine 
of one million of dollars upon the town. The effects of this 
terrible assault are even now lamentably apparent, particularly 
in the ruined condition of the buildings in the neighborhood 
of the walls and gates. The figures of our Saviour, painted 
for purposes of religion, suffered very materially when they 
happened to be where the struggle occurred. The visage of 
the Saviour marred with musket balls, and his side torn by 
shells, was a melancholy sight. Never, since the days of 
Napoleon, was the condition of Austria so critical, as about or 
a -few months antecedent to the insurrection of Brescia. Italy 
and Hungary were in arms, Bohemia in commotion, Vienna 
in revolution, and the Emperor himself a fugitive from his 
capital. The news of the various Hungarian victories always 
produced a remarkable sensation upon the continent. On 
the 14th May, 1849, Buda, although powerfully garrisoned 



222 BRESCIA. 

and munitioned, surrendered at discretion to Gorgey, the 
Hungarian general.* The conqueror announced his victory 
in the following laconic letter — "Hourahf Buda! Gorgey /" 
more epic than the " Veni, Vidi, Vici," of Caesar. For terse- 
ness, these words will compare very favorably with those of 
the lamented Worth at Monterey. General Taylor, it will be 
remembered, assigned to him the task of carrying the heights 
on the Saltillo road. "Worth felt the importance of his task, 
and resolved to carry the heights, formidable as they were, or 
perish in the attempt. " A grade or a grave /" he exclaimed, 
as he leaped into his saddle : — he was successful. 

General Haynau has been very appropriately styled the 
"modern Attila." He was born in 1786, and is said to be a 
natural son of the Duke of Hesse. After the reduction of 
Brescia, he commenced his well-known campaign against 
Hungary. Fortunately for Austria, Russia had now cast her 
weighty influence into the scale, and was already sending a 
powerful army to co-operate in the same undertaking. With 
such effective support, Haynau could not have been otherwise 
than successful. After taking several cities, he occupied Pesth, 
and leaving only a small Austro Russian garrison in the place, 
marched with all his available force to accomplish the de- 
struction of the Hungarians. In departing from Pesth, he 
addressed a proclamation to the inhabitants to this effect : — 
" Inhabitants ! I expect that during my absence you will not 
touch a hair of one of my officers or soldiers who stay behind, 

* Gorgey. The gallantry of this general, in the early and secon- 
dary stages of the Hungarian struggle, commanded the admiration of 
the patriots of Europe : of his conduct at Arad I have nothing to say. 



BRESCIA. 223 

nor of those of the brave Russian army in alliance with us for 
the holy end of re-establishing order. If you heed not my 
warnings, if even a part of you should venture with audacious 
insolence to transgress my orders, then annihilation will be 
your lot. Then, making all pay for one, and one for all, will 
I regard your lives and properties as forfeited, in atonement 
for your crimes. Your fair city, inhabitants of Pesth, which 
is now partially touched with the traces of just punishment, 
will then be reduced to a heap of ashes, a monument of your 
treason and of its castigation. Believe that I am a man of 
my word, whether to punish transgression or to reward merit. 
The disloyal inhabitants of Brescia, who, like yourselves, re- 
peatedly deceived by the ringleaders of the insurrection, set 
about fresh treason, may serve as an instance whether rebels 
have to expect any indulgence from me. Reflect upon the 
chastisement which visited that city, and beware lest, by 
neglecting my warnings, you force me to inflict the same 
upon you." 

The fate of Hungary is well known. Austria, in gratitude 
for the aid furnished by Russia in accomplishing its subjec- 
tion, erected a monument of granite upon her northern fron- 
tier, bearing this significant inscription : " Austria and Russia 
united, 1849." Austria will never forgive the United States 
for the strong interest manifested in reference to the Hunga- 
rian independence. Notwithstanding all the vigilance of her 
police, and the rigid regulations and scrutiny of her post-office 
department, it was found impossible to conceal this feeling 
from the knowledge of her subjects. The communications of 
the American press were faithfully published in the leading 



224 BEESCIA. 

French and English journals, and, through this medium, indi- 
rectly found their way to the capitals and people of the most 
despotic governments of Europe. The effect of Webster's 
famous speech, delivered in 1849 at the New Hampshire 
festival, in reference to the Hungarian question, and his ener- 
getic letter on the same subject to Chevalier Hulsemann, 
dated 21st December, 1850, were all that might have been 
anticipated. When such men speak, " the power-importing 
name of America " is felt every where ; their sentiments per- 
meate the globe.* I can read these things, even in Austria, 
but it would not, of course, be either expedient or wise for me 
individually to rehearse or promulgate them ; if I did, I might 
be arrested, and consigned to the prisons of Olmutz or Spiel- 
berg, to linger till I died. In this age, to confine thought is 
almost as impossible as to confine the winds, or chain the 
sea : it will travel in spite of every opposition. 

* A teacher in New England, wishing to convey to his scholars 
some adequate idea of the intellectual greatness of Daniel Webster, 
used the following language : " Why," said he, " Daniel Webster is 
a man that can stand upon the ground of Boston Common, and feed 
150,000 people without any more effort than it costs me to feed this 



CHAPTER XXX. 

Itatua. 

History relates that when Bonaparte arrived at Mantua, he 
sat down before its walls. He well knew that to attempt to 
take the place by storm would be perfectly idle ; he therefore 
instituted a regular siege in order to its reduction. He com- 
menced operations for that purpose in June, 1796, and in the 
course of six months the garrison capitulated. The amount 
of prisoners, artillery, howitzers, muskets, balls, powder, car- 
tridges, and shot, that fell into the hands of the French by the 
capitulation, was immense. The Austrian commandant, Gen- 
eral Wurmser, a veteran of seventy, was allowed to march out 
with the honors of war, and retire with his staff and a lim- 
ited part of his command beyond the Adige. Wurmser is 
said to have lost during the siege twenty-seven thousand men 
by disease, and in the various numerous and bloody sallies 
which took: place. His soldiers were on the brink of starva- 
tion, and no alternative remained but immediate capitulation. 
This decisive event put an end to the war in Italy. 

Mantua may be truly called the " Modern Ilion ;" it is the 
citadel of the Peninsula, and may be fairly said to be impreg- 



226 MANTUA. 

nable, except by famine. It is flanked by two lakes, and 
girdled by a broad, deep moat or ditch, overgrown with cane 
and willow trees ; and, as the water from the lakes can at two 
hours' notice be made to flow in and rise to a level with their 
tops, all attempts at navigation or hostile demonstration against 
the walls would be worse than fruitless. Most of the churches 
and public buildings are strongly fortified, and have cannon 
and ammunition lodged in their towers ; and many of the 
private edifices are bomb-proof. With twenty thousand men 
Mantua may very easily keep out two hundred thousand. 

The history of Italy, from the birth of Romulus to the fall 
of the Roman Empire (which happened in the fifth century), 
is comparatively a simple study ; but when the Roman Em- 
pire submitted to the invading armies of Alaric, Genseric, and 
Attila, Italy, as a natural consequence, became subject to 
the authority of a multitude of dukes and warlike leaders, 
who divided the country among themselves, and governed it 
by a diversity of laws. Wars, rivalries, and jealousies ensued, 
and for thirteen centuries this unhappy land has been a prey 
to civil dissensions and fratricidal revolutions. Under these 
circumstances, a thorough historical knowledge of the different 
states of Italy, its kingdoms, principalities, and republics, be- 
comes a task of more than ordinary magnitude. 

But to return to Mantua : — Mantua, after various fortunes, 
fell into the hands of the "Gonzaga" family, under whose 
princely administration it steadily arose to importance and 
affluence. After having continued for three hundred. years in 
the possession of this gifted and talented family, it was, on the 
8th of April, 1630, besieged by the Austrians and taken. In 



MANTUA. 227 

1796, Bonaparte, as already stated, captured the place and 
held it until his abdication, when it reverted again to the 
house of Austria. The present population of the city, inde- 
pendent of the garrison, is about 25,000. It is in appearance 
one of the most military places in Europe, and is constantly 
rilled with conscripts from all parts of the Austrian Empire, 
under instruction in the art of war. Sometimes as many as 
forty thousand are quartered here for that purpose. All the 
" monkeries " have been converted into barracks, so that every 
possible facility may be afforded in the advancement of mili- 
tary objects. Now and then a stray monk may be seen wan- 
dering about ; but the flock to which he once belonged no 
longer flock together here ; they have been scattered, and 
their pleasant places have become lairs for soldiers. Monks 
meet with very poor encouragement now-a-days. Soldiers 
are a necessary evil ; but monks are useless, and are neither 
needed nor desired any where. Mantua is one continued 
series of mounds, bastions, towers, and fortifications. At a 
distance it looks like a necropolis. In respect to climate and 
lowness of situation, it may be compared to Charleston or 
New Orleans. In the morning the atmosphere is very foggy 
and vapory, and the air smells like gunpowder. From the 
marshy character of the surrounding country, the city has 
always been considered unhealthy, particularly in summer. 

In all the Italian towns, the first thing that travellers ask 
for when they stop to take their dinner, is soup, and then 
boiled beef or veal. The beef is generally kept all the time 
in the pot, and as a piece is called for it is cut off, and the 
main part put back again ; hence there is but very little nour- 



228 MANTUA. 

ishment in the beef; it has about as much taste as a piece 
of leather. In cities, such as Milan, Turin, and Naples, this 
remark has, of course, no application ; there they cook beef 
differently. 

In reference to passports, Austria is perhaps more particu- 
lar than any other government on the continent. In passing 
from Brescia to Mantua, for example, I had to go first to the 
police for a vise, and then to the military commandant for its 
confirmation. The diligence, in going out of the gate, always 
hands to the sentry a manifest of the freight and passengers 
" on board," and on arriving at its destination, it delivers a 
duplicate of the same thing. Strangers are required, in the 
course of a few hours after their arrival, to present themselves 
to the police for recognition, and the proprietors of the hotels 
where they put up are, under a severe penalty, required to 
report the age, name, country, and profession of their lodgers. 
In passing from one petty kingdom to another, a bill of health 
is needed. All the formalities imposed on commercial vessels 
are applicable to land conveyances. In fact, the same trouble 
is imposed as would be incidental to a vessel leaving or 
arriving at New- York from a foreign port. The diligences 
between the chief cities — between Milan and Turin, for exam- 
ple — are commanded by " conductors," who have as much 
responsibility as the captain or supercargo of a ship. 

The passport department of a large city like Milan resem- 
bles the counting-room of an extensive mercantile establish- 
ment. Some of the registers are as large and as formidable 
as the journals and ledgers of a bank. At Cremona I had to 
undergo a long categorical examination. It was so unusual 



MANTUA. 229 

a thing for an American to come among them, that they 
wished to know the why and the wherefore of such an unex- 
pected visitation. 

On the route to Mantua we passed " Goito ;" at this place 
the Italians, in their contest for independence, gained a victory 
over the Austrians, perhaps the most decisive in the whole 
course of their unavailing struggle. The chief part of the 
engagement occurred upon the bridge a few paces from the 
town ; the houses in the immediate vicinity sustained consid- 
erable damage, and the effects of the cannonade are still 
apparent. A barren place was pointed out where the bodies 
of the slain men and cavalry were piled into a pyramid and 
consumed by fire. In the late losses upon the battle-fields of 
Europe, fire has been employed as a ready agent for the 
decomposition of bodies. We passed through Castiglione, 
famous for one of Bonaparte's early achievements, and as the 
place where Marshal Augereau gained his title to the duke- 
dom of Castiglione. While engaged in surveying the positions 
of the field, and listening to some explanations on that battle, 
one of the natives, learning that I was an American, ap- 
proached, and told me with a sparkling eye, that he had seen 
the banner of my country, and he described it as well as I 
could myself. The Italians think the world of the American 
flag ; according to their eye, it is not only full of glory, but 
full of poetry and patriotic inspirations. On the route, by the 
way- side I noticed a great number of signs which read " Vino 
Buono" (good wine). I read upon one sign " Vino Cattivof" 
(bad wine). The eccentric proprietor will sell his wine, most 
probably, just as well as if he called it good. 
10 



230 MANTUA. 

Mantua is full of noble palaces and edifices, but they are 
of some age. Europe is not so enterprising as she used to be ; 
she is getting old. Europe points you to the past. She says, 
" Look at what I have done, and excuse me from further pro- 
gress. I have done enough, and feel little disposed to subject 
my powers to renewed exertion. I need repose, and I possess 
laurels and trophies sufficient to render my bed comfortable." 

The names of the streets of Mantua are not painted on 
perishable boards, but chiselled upon rock and marble ; the 
same with the number's of their habitations. In these old 
countries, when they build a church, a house, or a tomb, they 
build their work as though they intended that it should 
endure until doomsday. 

The bishops and archbishops of the Roman Catholic 
Church in Italy live like princes ; they have large palaces for 
their residences, with servants and footmen and coachmen in 
lively, and ride in the richest carriages with the finest horses. 
The Bishop's palace of Mantua is as large as the cathedral ; 
instead of columns before the grand door, two colossal marble 
giants support the mass above. In Milan, the ecclesiastical 
palace occupies an entire block. 

" He that is punctual may take the sun-dial for his coat 
of arms." Upon a sun-dial in Mantua I noticed the following 
inscription : — 

" Puo ben errar dell a campana il ferro, 
Ma quando luce il sole io mai non erro." 

The clapper may make a mistake in the time, 
But I never blunder if the sun does but shine. 



MANTUA. 231 

The fifth act of Shakspeare's " Romeo and Juliet" is laid 
in this city. Friar John was sent to advise Romeo to visit 
Verona without delay ; but Friar John was staid, and as there 
was no railroad or electric telegraph in those days, poor 
Romeo failed to receive at a seasonable time intelligence 
of vital importance. Verona is about twenty-four miles from 
Mantua, and to this day all communication between the two 
cities is carried on in the same old-fashioned way as hereto- 
fore. It was in this city that Romeo hied to a certain phar- 
macy to purchase poison. The apothecary at first objected, 
and said : — 

" Such mortal drugs I have ; but Mantua's law 
Is death to any he that utters them." 

But the gold of Romeo at length prevails, and the apo- 
thecary, delivering the fatal preparation, says : — 

"Put this in any liquid thing you will, 
And drink it off : and if you had the strength 
Of twenty men, it would dispatch you straight." 

I am authorized to state that the law spoken of by Shak- 
speare, against the sale of poison, is still in force here. 

In wandering about the streets I noticed baskets of eggs 
for sale, colored scarlet, this being " Easter time :" boys and 
men were cracking eggs ; some were of course winners, and 
some losers : the losers used very singular language in mourn- 
ing at their loss. They frequently ejaculated, " By the body 
of Bacchus ;" " by the body of the Madonna" (Virgin Mary), 
and then changed the phrase by saying, " By the blood of 



282 MANTUA. 

the Madonna." One street in the place is called "Vicolo 
Dottrina Christiana " (Street of Christian Doctrine). In the 
Cathedral I looked upward upon the concave of the dome, 
and saw a painting of eight circular tiers of angels, all sitting 
and looking down, with their wings above their heads ; the 
effect was very sublime. The Ancient of Days sat above this 
august assembly, enthroned in clouds. There are some 
remarkably heavy sepulchral monuments in this church ; two 
or three of which would be weighty enough to ballast a sev- 
enty-four gun ship. The angels seen upon the churches and 
public buildings are placed ofttimes in such hazardous situa- 
tions, that one cannot help trembling for their safety. Upon 
the very eaves of the temples they are frequently seen sitting, 
and instead of using their hands for clinging to some support, 
extend and use them to hold up a clock, or the armorial 
bearings of an archbishop ; inside of the temple, they bend 
over and expose themselves in order to support the drapery 
placed in their hands. A plain inscription on the pavement 
in the church of St. Egidio marks the grave of Bernardo 
Tasso, father of the author of " Jerusalem Delivered." The 
only paper published in the city is called the " Gazetta di 
Mantova;" it is about the size of an American penny pa- 
per, and sold at five cents a copy ; advertisements pay four 
cents a line. At the head of the sheet appears a figure 
of Virgil, surrounded by a wreath of laurel, bearing the 
words, " Mantua me genuit." (Mantua begat me.) One of 
the most beautiful squares iu the place is called the " Piazza 
Virgiliana," in honor of the poet. The Marquis Cavriano is 
the podesta or "mayor of the city, and resides in a magnificent 



MANTUA. 233 

palace ; opposite this palace is a pleasant garden, in the 
centre of which stands a colossal statue of Virgil, holding a 
volume in his hand ; the large marble block which supports 
the statue bears the following inscriptions, in Latin : 

Primus Idumseas referam 

tibi Mantua palmas 

et viridi in campo templum 

de marmore ponam. 

I will be the first, O Mantua, to bear away for thee the Idumean 
palms, and I will erect a temple of marble in a verdant plain. 

Cedite Eomani scriptores 

cedite Graii 

nescio quid maius 

nascitur Iliade. 

Yield, ye Eoman writers ! yield, ye Greek ! there is produced 
(something) I know not what, greater than the Iliad. 

Mantua musarum domus 

atque ad sydera cantu 

evecta Andino et Smyrneis 

emula plectris. 

Mantua, the home of the muses, and raised to the stars by the song 
of Andes, and a rival unto the Smyrnesan Plectrum. 

Mantua se vita 
prseclari jactat alumni 

Parthenope famam 
morte Maronis habet. 

Manfeua prides herself on the life of her illustrious foster-child. 
Parthenope (Naples) glories in the possession of his grave. 

The poet was not born absolutely at Mantua, but at Andes, 



234 MANTUA. 

a small village about two miles from the walls of the city ; 
popular tradition makes the modem Pietola answer to Andes. 

The ducal palace, built by the once renowned Gonzaga 
family, still breathes of the magnificence of its princely occu- 
pants ; it is truly a colossal pile, and amply confirms all that 
history relates of the grandeur and power of the " Gonzagas." 

In the first chamber I noted the portraits of the ancient 
dukes of Mantua, nineteen in number. Some were in armor. 
The next chamber is characteristic of Egypt ; the next is em- 
bellished with tapestry in Hollandaise style, two hundred 
years old ; the next is the sleeping apartment reserved for the 
Emperors of Austria when they visit the palace. Francis L, 
Ferdinand I., and the present Emperor, Francis Joseph, have 
reposed in it. The imperial bedstead is furnished with four 
mattresses, one above the other ; it is divided in the centre, 
but virtually constitutes one and the same when united toge- 
ther, serving for both Emperor and Empress. It is covered 
with gold and hung with silk. I next entered the dining 
saloon. Upon the walls are represented the rivers of Italy : 
first, the Adige ; second, the Adda ; third, the Po — the 
brow of this figure is crowned with the green blades of some 
water-plant, and has horns, to signify the strength of the 
river — fourth, the Oglio ; fifth, the Seccio. This saloon looks 
out upon a beautiful garden, called " II Giardino Pensile." I 
next passed into the " Sala dell' Zodiaco," painted by Giulio 
Romano — very grand. The field of this ceiling is of a dark- 
blue color, and represents night, with the constellations of 
heaven shining upon it — a very sublime representation. The 
ceiling of another chamber exhibits Venus with divers loves. 



MANTUA. 235 

This painting was executed four hundred years ago, and is 
encircled with fretted gold. Passing into a saloon of unusual 
length, I saw an extensive collection of paintings, and among 
the number one of great size, called the " Age of Gold," and 
another, the " Age of Iron." I then entered the hall of audi- 
ence, and was presently ushered into the ducal apartments, 
upon the ceiling of one of which I noticed Cupid and Psyche* 
The division walls between some of the main apartments are 
so wide that I was obliged to extend my arms to measure 
their width. The next chamber contained designs on tapes- 
try, copied from the cartoons of Raphael, being subjects of a 
sacred character, represented on a grand scale. Lastly, " La 
Sala di Ballo," a very superb saloon — Giulio Romano, painter; 
first division represents Night drawn on a car by four dark- 
red steeds, with stars, owls, and bats very powerfully depicted ; 
second, Jove in triumph on Mount Olympus ; third, car of the 
Sun, drawn by four white steeds ; fourth, Apollo on Mount 
Parnassus, surrounded by the poets. Some idea of the extent 
of this vast palace may be formed from the fact that it 
contains twenty-six courts, three of which are remarkably 
spacious. The chapel of the palace is as large as an ordinary 
church. I was informed that not even at Vienna was there 
a palace to equal this ; but, owing to its being situated in a 
fortified place, of proverbial insalubrity, it was very seldom 
visited by the members of the reigning imperial family. 

In looking at the collection of ancient sculpture which 
represented the members of the Gonzaga family in their 
antique habits and high collars, ruffles, laces, and queer head- 
dresses, I could not help thinking how laughable they, in this 



236 MANTUA. 

age, appeared ; and I remembered the truthful words of 
Greenough, the American sculptor, in Florence — " Fashions," 
said he, " change, but nature never changes." " The object 
of sculpture is," continued he, " to perpetuate character, not 
fashions." " The less we have to do with dress," he added, 
" the better. We are most natural when we succeed in pre- 
senting nature in prominent relief, and casting dress into the 
shade." 

Of the illustrious families that contributed most effectually 
to the elevation of the arts, the literature, and the glory of 
Italy, scarcely any, at this day, remain. The families of the 
"Gonzaga," the "Medici," the "Farnese," "d'Este," and the 
"Scaligeri" (the Escalus of Shakspeare), liave all passed 
away, and princes of the house of Austria occupy their places. 

Outside the walls of Mantua stands the celebrated " Te " 
palace, built and embellished by Giulio Romano. This pal- 
ace contains paintings upon its walls and ceilings of great 
fame. In one saloon, I observed upon the ceiling a painting 
by Giulio Romano, which represented day departing and 
night coming in. The car of the sun is fast receding, and 
the artist has so arranged his design that, as the beholder 
looks up, he looks under the wheels of the car, under the 
horses' legs, and those of Phoebus, the driver ; the effect pro- 
duced is truly remarkable. Another design represents the 
god of day driving his car homeward toward the west, but, as 
his steeds approach the Adriatic, they become frightened by 
the noise and foam of the sea, and Phoebus losing his com- 
mand, the car and the whole equipage are plunged into the 
briny deep. 



MANTUA. 237 

Man has wrought imperishable wonders in Italy. The 
temples and works of art that every where abound bear testi- 
mony to the triumphs of his intelligence and power. The 
builders of the noble and venerable monuments that cover 
this beautiful land have passed away. The works remain, 
but where are the men ? If we question infidelity upon the 
subject, we shall receive a most discouraging and veiy unsat- 
isfactory reply; but if we appeal to Christianity, she will 
inform us that they live again, and are expanding their pow- 
ers in an eternal state. 

Philosophers tell us that our globe weighs the same now, 
that it did six thousand years ago. Its atoms have changed 
their form, but not their existence ; if change cannot destroy 
matter, how can it destroy the soul ? 



1 Matter immortal ! and shall spirit die ! 
Above the nobler shall less noble rise ?" 



Language is too poor to describe the sublime creations of 
Raphael, Michael Angelo, Bernini, Brunelleschi, Bartolini, 
Bandinelli, Bramante, Donatello, Giotto, Sansovino, Correggio, 
Guido, Leonardo da Vinci, Salvator Rosa, Tintoretto, Titian, 
Borromini, Domenichino, Guercino, Carlo Dolci, Palladio, 
Canova, Juvara, and Giulio Romano. 

In surveying the works of these great painters, artists, 
architects, and sculptors, I have a thousand times been 
impressed with the most overwhelming convictions of the 
immortality of the soul. Indeed, this department of evidence 
of itself appeared to me to be opulent enough in argu- 
10* 



238 MANTUA. 

ment and sufficiently conclusive for ordinary credibility, even 
independent of the Bible, or the analogy of nature. 

" Still seems it strange that thou should'st live for ever? 
Is it less strange that thou should'st live at all ? 
This is a miracle, and that no more."* 

* A person who was inclined to be skeptical said to a clergyman — 
" If we are to live after death, why don't we have some certain know- 
ledge of it ?" " Why didn't you have some knowledge of this world 
before you came into it ?" was the reply. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

This ancient city was founded three or four centuries before 
the Christian era. It is situated on the banks of the Adige, 
and contains a population of 50,000 inhabitants. It has 
fifty-three churches, and is the head-quarters of the military 
power of Austrian Italy. Catullus, Cornelius Nepos, Vitruvius, 
Pliny, and Marcus Emilius, were all of Verona. Every body 
familiar with the works of Shakspeare will remember that the 
greater part of the scenes in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, 
are laid in this city. The names of the families at variance 
with each other were Montecchi and Cappelletti ; and the 
name of the prince of Verona at that time was " Bartolomeo 
della Scala " (or Scaligeri). Shakspeare has anglicised these 
names by calling them Montague, Capulet, and Escalus. 
Juliet is supposed to have died in 1303. The Italians do not 
appear to have woven the incidents of her fate into romance 
until two centuries afterwards, when the novels of Luigi da 
Porto and Bandillo were written. From these works Shaks- 
peare (in 1595) most probably gathered the groundwork for 
his great play. 



240 VERONA. 

The families of the Scaligeri, Montecchi, and Cappelletti, 
are at this date all extinct, hut their palaces remain and may 
still be seen. The palace of the Cappelletti is known as No. 
1012 in the Via Cappelli. It is a three-story habitation, of a 
very forbidding appearance, with a spacious court in the 
centre. The passage to this court from the street is ample 
enough for large carriages. Over the arch of this passsage I 
noticed, upon the white stone which formed its key, a sculp- 
tured representation of a Cardinal's hat, with a cross upon its 
crown and looping strings underneath the brim. In Italian 
" Cappello " signifies hat, and most probably this figure has 
some allegorical connection with the name of the family. 
This mansion is now made to serve as an inn for cartmen, 
draymen, and wagoners — and its court is filled with vehicles 
and beasts of burden. 

The sign outside, over the front door, is a large red hat, 
made of sheet iron. 

The palace Montecchi is in the Via Arche No. 1156, and 
stands next door to the corner. This house has also been 
converted into an inn for teamsters, and I found its court 
completely blocked up with carts and donkeys. 

These buildings have, in their day, no doubt been very 
substantial and comfortable habitations, but never could have 
been distinguished for any architectural merit. They are now 
the very pictures of desolation. They are built of brick, and 
have never been painted since the death of Juliet. The 
streets in which they are situated are very narrow, and intoler- 
ably gloomy. I frequently visited these places at midnight, 



VEEONA. 241 

and never shall forget the solemn impressions produced on 
these occasions. 

The palaces of the Scaligeri are situated in the " Piazza 
dei Signori " (Square of the Nobles), and are truly worthy of 
their designation. They are models of architectural taste. 
This square is the most beautiful and agreeable in the city, 
and frequented at all hours by the opulent and titled classes. 
The sepulchres of the Scaligeri are located in the adjacent 
church of " Maria Antica," and exhibit the last remains of 
Veronese magnificence. 

If history was silent, these monuments would attest the 
grandeur of the Scaligeri. Upon the wall of an old house 
contiguous to the tomb I read this inscription — 

"Habitazione del Sagristano e custode del cimitero Scaligero." 

The Franciscan Convent, upon whose grounds once stood 

"That same ancient vault 
Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie," 

is situated one hundred and fifty paces beyond the ancient 
walls of the city. You at that distance turn to the left, and 
proceed up a narrow lane, called the " Vicolo Franceschine." 
At the end of this lane you ring a bell, and an old woman 
soon opens the gate and admits you into the garden. This 
garden was once the cemetery and burial ground of the con- 
vent, but the monuments that once studded its surface have 
entirely disappeared. The garden is quite spacious, and is at 
present in a very flourishing condition. The spot where the 



242 VERONA. 

tomb of the Capulets was situated is pointed out. From this 
site a red marble sarcophagus, which once served for the 
reception of the body of Juliet, was taken up many years ago 
and lodged in another part of the garden. This removal 
probably took place cotemporary with the suppression of the 
convent and the conversion of its grounds to agricultural pur- 
poses. The earth of this garden is said to be well stocked 
with bones, which are of course at this moment all mingled 
together in promiscuous confusion. The sarcophagus of Juliet 
is empty ; even its lid has been lost, and as to her bones and 
the bones of her kindred, and those of Romeo, they are all 
missing, and will never be found until the morning of the 
general resurrection. 

The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is not yet finished 
Shakspeare with all his genius could not have written it. He 
pursued it to the grave and there left it : but the curtain is to 
rise again, and on that grand occasion the parties themselves 
will appear and finish the piece. 

The convent is now used as barracks for Austrian soldiers. 
In one of the outside chapels of the convent rests the sar- 
cophagus of Juliet ; it is of an oblong form, cut out of red 
Verona marble, and only calculated for the reception of one 
person. The bottom of this sarcophagus rises a little at the 
head, as if to form a low pillow. The tomb is quite rough, 
and contains no marks or inscriptions of any kind. One cor- 
ner has been much broken, in order to furnish fragments for 
souvenirs. Maria Louisa, the Empress of Napoleon, took 
away a part, and had a necklace and bracelets made there- 
from, and many noble ladies of Verona did the same. The 



VERONA. 243 

Government has very wisely interdicted the continuance of 
such appropriations. The roof of the chapel has been 
destroyed, and the heavens now serve as the canopy of the 
tomb. On the walls of the chapel I noticed an old fresco 
painting of the Crucifixion, with two females weeping at the 
foot of the cross. This painting, from exposure, is much 
damaged and disfigured. A small outhouse at the side of 
this chapel is the dwelling-place of an old woman and her 
daughter, to whose charge the tomb of Juliet is committed. 

This tomb is said to have been shown by the Italians 
previous to the time of Shakspeare. It has certainly for several 
centuries been visited by thousands and thousands of pilgrims 
from all parts of the world, and not a few, according to credi- 
ble information, have even wept upon it. About a block 
beyond the convent may be seen a long, low, stone cottage, 
with Gothic windows. This house served as the residence of 
Louis XVIII. during the French Revolution. 

Even the little ragged beggar boys understand by heart 
the story of Romeo and Juliet, and are capable of pointing 
out the localities identified with the tragedy. Juliet, accord- 
ing to Shakspeare, was to have been married to the Count 
Paris (the rival of Romeo), in the St. Peter's Church, Verona. 
This is not one of the principal churches in the city, but it 
was most probably the parish chapel of her family. 

I visited the " Museo Lapidario." This is an extensive 
collection of statuary, tombs, columns, and tablets, that have 
from time to time been collected from the excavations of the 
city and its suburbs. This museum is kept in a spacious 
open court, and quite exposed to the weather. I gathered 



244 VERONA. 

some fresh violets from the soil about these ruined monuments 
of Etruscan, Greek, and Roman glory, and then went away. 
I felt sad to look upon these old trophies of the past. They 
put me in mind of the scattered wrecks of a broken-up 
graveyard. In all old countries the eye is continually called 
upon to survey the ruins of temples, towers, and tombs ; and 
the thoughtful traveller, as he muses in silence among them, 
may in truth exclaim — 

"What is this world? 
"What but a spacious burial-field unwalled ?" 

The oldest church in the city is St. Siro. It stands upon 
the site of a Roman circus. Here St. Siro," in the year 56 
celebrated the first mass ever offered in Verona. 

In one of my walks I noticed some handbills, inviting 
public attention to the exhibition of a gigantic horse, called 
the " General Washington," weighing two thousand five hun- 
dred pounds, and equal in strength to three ordinary horses. 

I visited the Old Roman amphitheatre of Verona. It is 
capable of accommodating at least fifty thousand people. It 
stands in the very heart of the city, in the midst of a vast 
square. There are forty grades or ranging ranks of seats, 
rising one above the other from the arena. The inside ot 
this amphitheatre is in a remarkably perfect condition. The 
seats are broad and high, so that you may crowd the people 
together, and yet occasion inconvenience to nobody. The 
angles and facings of the seats and arches of this great work 
are as perfect as though only finished yesterday. The sight 
of this fabric is of itself worth a voyage across the Atlantic. 



VERONA. 245 

From its top rampart, which is very high, I could see all the 
city of Verona. I looked toward the south, and discerned the 
old, gray, square tower of the convent where the tragedy of 
Komeo and Juliet occurred, and noted the cross which capped 
its pinnacle. 

This amphitheatre is of great strength ; nothing but 
earthquakes can disturb the solidity of its foundation. It 
is capable of defying time, and standing, like Mont Blanc, 
until doomsday. As I walked under its colossal arches, and 
surveyed their gigantic proportions, it seemed to me as if the 
ancients had been determined to build something to stand in 
comparison with the awful productions of Omnipotence. 

Trees, bushes, plants, and vines are now growing upon the 
coronal portions of the amphitheatre. I noticed in the com- 
position of this work, some of the same species of red marble 
of which the tomb of Juliet and the tombs of the Scaligeri 
are composed. 

"When I descended and stood in the arena below and 
looked up, I felt sensations indescribable. Above me I could 
see nothing but the heavens, because the vast and lofty cir- 
cuit of the surrounding amphitheatre shut the city and the 
world completely out of view. In this situation I felt as if I 
was in the hollow bosom of the ocean, while about me its 
liquid breasts were rising and swelling like mountains among 
the clouds. 

Nobody given to reflection can stand within this vast 
circumference without connecting it in comparison with the 
Great Day, when the nations of the earth shall be summoned 



246 VERONA. 

and assembled in grand renew around the Judgment 
Throne. 

The sacred writers, as -well as the most eminent orators 
and poets, appear to have had this figure in view in some of 
the most graphic illustrations of that coming day. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

" Fair Padua, nursery of arts ;" 

" There's nothing but what is kind in Padua." 

Shakspeare. 



Padua is seven miles in circumference. It contains a popu- 
lation of 51,000 inhabitants, and dates its origin anterior to 
the foundation of Rome. Livy was born in Padua, and his 
house is still shown. Belzoni was also born here. According 
to Strabo, this city was at one period one of the most impor- 
tant places in Italy. At this day, it is chiefly distinguished 
for its churches and university. Previous to the time of 
Napoleon, there were seventy-three convents in operation; 
at present, there are only five. Count Ludovico Cornaro, the 
author of a remarkable and well-known work upon hygeia, 
lived and died in this city at the advanced age of ninety-six. 
The discourses of Cornaro have been favorably received in 
both hemispheres. 

In passing through one of the main streets, I real upon a 
tablet over a door this inscription : 

Here stood the hospital where G. B. Da Monte 
opened a clinical school ; the first in Europe. 



248 PADUA. 

In a retired part of the city is located an asylum for 
foundlings, with a revolving cradle in the wall and a bell-cord 
by its side. Above this contrivance I read these words: 
" When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord 
will take me up." — Psalm xxvii. 10. 

Striking clocks are said to have been invented in Padua. 
The Papafava Palace contains a remarkable piece of sculp- 
ture in the form of a pyramid. It is wrought out of a solid 
block of marble, five feet high, developing a group of sixty 
figures. It represents the archangel Michael expelling Satan 
and his satellites from the battlements of Heaven. The artist 
was employed more than twelve years upon this work. Eight 
hundred thousand dollars have been offered for it, and re- 
fused. It is beyond price. The devils are ail furnished with 
horns and tails, but the greater part of them have lost their 
wings. Several dragons are seen hissing among the group. 

In the court of the convent of St. Francisco, under a 
fresco painting of the Virgin Mary, appears the following 
inscription : 

Tota pulcra es Maria et macula originalis non est in te. 
(All beautiful art thou, Mary, and original sin is not in thee.) 

Under another painting of the Virgin Mary is read : 
Cf Maria ! concepita senza peccato pregate per noi che ricorriamo a voi. 
(0 Mary! conceived without sin, pray for us when we recur to thee.) 

The church of St. Antonio in Padua is considered one of 
the richest in Italy. You might visit it a hundred times, and 



PADUA. 249 

discover something new each time. A volume would be 
required for a description of its works of art. I met a man 
at the door rattling a money-box, and clamorous for contribu- 
tions for the benefit of St. Antonio. I understood that his 
commission upon the collections was twenty per cent. In 
front of the church I noticed four large stalls for the sale of 
beads, relics, images, trinkets, and prints illustrating the mira- 
cles of the saint. These stalls do an extensive business, espe- 
cially on Sundays. Pilgrimages are paid to this church from 
all parts of Europe, and all who come buy some relic to carry 
to their homes. About half a mile outside the walls of the 
city is situated a large chapel in honor of St. Antonio. En- 
gravings, with brief narrations of all the numerous miracles 
he is alleged to have performed, are suspended in order 
behind the altar. 

A few examples of the nature of these miracles may 
perhaps be acceptable. On one occasion, the saint being 
engaged in preaching in the open air, a sudden shower of 
rain began to fall and to occasion much inconvenience to his 
auditory. With great confidence of mind, he commanded 
the rain to cease falling upon his hearers, and, obeying his 
command, it fell only beyond the precincts of his congregation. 
At another time, noticing that his hearers were rather inclined 
to be drowsy and inattentive, he turned from the cliff upon 
which he was standing, and looking upon the sea, invited the 
fishes to hear him. The fishes forthwith raised their heads 
above the water, and in their language praised the Lord! 
The husband of a certain female, in a fit of passion, tore all 
the hair from her head, and otherwise ill used her. The 



250 PADUA. 

woman paid a visit to St. Antonio, who not only gave her 
much spiritual consolation, but restored her hair, and even 
gave her a more abundant crop than she had before. 

In many parts of the city, I noticed small crosses sculp- 
tured upon blocks of marble fixed in the walls of houses and 
churches, and observed those figures to be habitually kissed 
by all classes. The advantage connected with this operation 
is fully explained in the following inscription : 

Indulgenza di giorni quaranta concessa dal Sommo Pontefice Gio- 
vanni XXII., e di un anno da Papa Clemente IV., a chi biacciera 
a S. Croce. 

Indulgence of forty days conceded by j,lie High Pontiff John 
XXII., and of one year by Pope Clement IV., to whoever sball 
kiss the Holy Cross. 

The water of the city is drawn from wells. These wells 
have marble mouths, and in their general appearance resem- 
ble the wells so often seen in paintings of Scriptural subjects ; 
such, for example, as " The woman at the well of Sama- 
ria," &c. 

The University of Padua arose in the beginning of the 
thirteenth centuiy. In the zenith of its prosperity it num- 
bered six thousand students. Upon the tower of this edifice 
is a clock of great size, with this inscription upon its face : 
" Crescit in horas doctrina." (" Learning increases eveiy 
hour.") The large dial of the University contains this in- 
scription : 

Ut sapiens tempus lucretur computat boras. 
(In order that tbe wise man may gain time, be reckons the hours.) 



PADUA. 251 

In the cabinet of natural history is preserved the fifth 
lumbar vertebra of Galileo. It is inclosed in a glass case, 
upon which rests a bust of the great Tuscan philosopher. 
This relic was stolen by the Florentine physician Cocchi, who, 
in 11 37 , was charged with the translation of Galileo's bones 
to the church of Santa Croce in Florence. This bone, which 
is about the size of a boy's fist, appeared to me to resemble 
very much the lumbar bones found in the skeletons of other 
men. 

In the museum may be seen a stuffed elephant. The 
history of this animal is somewhat remarkable. A few years 
since, during the Carnival at Venice, it became enraged 
against its keeper, and in a fit of passion killed him. The 
animal was immediately shot, and the cannon-ball which 
pierced its body graces the present exhibition. The botanical 
garden, founded by the Venetian Senate, in 1545, is probably 
the oldest in Europe. It contains a flourishing old plane-tree, 
which is as venerable as the garden itself. 

The Podesta, or Governor's Palace, contains a saloon two 
hundred and forty feet long, eighty feet wide, and as many 
feet high. The roof of this palace is said to be the largest, 
unsupported by pillars, in the world. The saloon will accom- 
modate fifteen thousand persons ; in one end stands a large 
model wooden horse, of colossal size. It will contain twenty- 
four persons. It is a figurative model of the famous horse of 
Troy ; this model is four hundred years old. The statue of 
Livy stands behind it, and his bones repose over a neighbor- 
ing door. The paintings upon the walls of the saloon are of 
a mythological, mystical, and astronomical character. Once, 



252 PADUA. 

on a festival occasion in honor of the Emperor of Austria, a 
portion of this grand saloon was converted into a garden. 
Trees were planted, and flowers bloomed around them. A 
ball-room was included, as well as a chamber of reception for 
the Imperial Court. I walked out upon the piazza of the 
palace, and there beheld a full collection of the wrecks of 
antiquity, dug up in the course of excavations throughout 
the city. The architecture of this remarkable edifice is of a 
solemn, oriental cast. 

The Imperial Observatory deserves a visit. Its tower 
offers one of the most commanding views in the place 
Upon the walls of the story where the instruments of obser- 
vation are lodged are seen full-length "paintings of Newton, 
Galileo, Kepler, Copernicus, Ptolemy, and other distinguished 
astronomers. I levelled the powerful telescope in the direc- 
tion of Venice (twenty-six miles distant), but, as the sky was 
rather cloudy, I could only imperfectly distinguish the monu- 
ments of the Venetian capital. Vapors hung about the 
tower of St. Mark, and mists obscured the glory of her 
temples. 

In the west I caught a view of Vicenza, Arcole, and 
Montebello. 

Every point of the horizon beamed with interest. As 
soon as I pointed the telescope in the direction of Arqua, the 
mansion and tomb of Petrarch loomed into view. 

Within the walls of Padua I noticed some very beautiful 
pleasure-gardens, one of which contained a remarkable laby- 
rinth, with a summer-house in the centre. 

The prison of the province next attracted my attention, 



PADUA. 253 

with its spacious court, and its eight hundred prisoners, dole- 
fully clanking their chains. 

In looking upon the ceiling over my head, I remarked 
that it was appropriately painted with a condensed tableau of 
the different constellations. The guide, observing me to look 
upward with much curiosity, asked if I wished to ascend any 
higher. " Yes," replied I, " let us ascend above the constel- 
lations." I supposed that we were as high as we could go, 
and joyfully learned that we could go still higher. We soon 
hastened above, and quickly stood upon the very crown of 
the tower. The fairest section of Lombardy was immediately 
before us, and its history burst with all the splendor of a 
vision upon my imagination. I beheld fields of battle, 
lagunes, cities, rivers, mountains, and monuments, reposing 
in admirable diversity together. 

Over this broad and beautiful prospect the banner of a 
brave and mighty people had once glistened in triumph, aud 
been borne on the wings of victory beyond the seas; but 
those days of glory and independence had passed away ; 
alien armies had invaded the borders of the land, conquered 
jts liberties, and trampled its banner in the dust ! 



11 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 
WMtt 

Venice is a labyrinth-. There is no city like it in the world. 
It always was an unintelligible place, and is still unintelligi- 
ble. It contains a population of 115,000 inhabitants, located 
in 27,918 houses. There are 112 religious establishments ; 
though at one period there were no less than 228. Of 
bridges, chiefly of marble, there are 306, and small commu- 
nicating streets no less than 2,108. The city is seven miles 
in circumference. The grand canal is nearly 300 feet wide ; 
other canals are wide enough ; but the widest street is not 
more than ten or twelve feet from house to house, and the 
majority do not exceed eight. Horses are unknown, and the 
largest animal to be seen is a dog. 

The foundation of the city commenced in 402, when the 
Venetians fled to the Lagunes, before the invading army of 
Alaric the Goth. The city is built upon seventy-two small 
islands, with pile and stone foundations for the buildings. 
The church of " Santa Maria della Salute " was constructed 
in 1531, as a monument of thanksgiving for the cessation of 
a great pestilence, and rests upon 1,200,000 piles. This 



VENICE. 255 

church contains 125 statues. It is said that in Venice there 
are thousands who never saw a hill, or a wood, or an ear of 
corn growing, or a vineyard, or a green field, or even a horse 
and carriage. The canals are traversed by gondolas, a spe- 
cies of canoe, twenty-five feet long, with a little cabin in the 
centre, sufficiently spacious for the accommodation of from 
five to ten persons. These gondolas, and their furniture and 
equipments, are all black, and when they move upon the 
water they have the appearance of floating hearses. The 
black cloth which is thrown over the cabin top is fringed with 
tassels, and exactly resembles a funeral pall. 

At the close of the fifteenth century, the Republic, in 
order to repress the abuse of luxury among the patricians, 
created a law which imposed this sombre uniformity of color 
upon the gondolas. The ambassadors of foreign powers 
were the only class excepted from the observance of this 
regulation. 

When the late Madam Malibran (the distinguished 
prima donna) visited Venice, she refused to enter the black 
and gloomy gondolas of the city, and required the gondola 
intended for her service to be painted a celestial blue. A 
feeling of solemnity oppresses one as he stands before the 
opera-house at midnight, and sees the ladies leave the house 
and step into these hearse-like concerns. To me it did really 
seem as if they were going to their long, long homes. 

At Genoa, I saw another strange sight of a different char- 
acter. That city is built upon the breast of a lofty chain of 
mountains. It has only three streets for the use of horses 
and carriages : all the other streets are so narrow and preci- 



256 Venice. 

pitous that no beasts of burden are allowed to pass through 
them. The first Sabbath after my arrival I attended the 
principal church, and after service, instead of carriages, I 
beheld at the door a very large collection of sedan chairs, 
with men harnessed to them, in readiness to convey the 
ladies and the old folks to their habitations. This was a 
contrast to the gondola spectacle. 

In Rome, in bidding a person good-bye, they say " Adieu ;" 
in Naples, " Fare you well ;" in Tuscany, " Rivederla," a word 
which signifies, " I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you 
again ;" and in Venice, they say, " Your servant." In Eng- 
land and America you are accosted by the introductory salu- 
tation, " How do you do, or act ?" in Holland, " How do you 
sail ?" and in Italy, " How do you stand ?" 

Some writers have given it as their opinion that Venice 
will, in the course of time, be reconquered by the sea, and 
ingulfed beneath the w 7 aves of the Adriatic. To show how 
erroneous this conjecture is, it is only necessary to know that, 
according to the most accurate observations collected at dif- 
ferent epochs by men of science, the sea has heretofore merely 
encroached, upon an average, at the rate of four inches in a 
century. At this rate, Venice w y ould only lose forty inches in 
a thousand years. To all human appearances, this remarka- 
ble city will probably last as long as Rome, Milan, Naples, 
Florence, or any other of her contemporaries. The piles that 
were driven upon the first colonization of the place are still 
good. Recently, some of them were taken up and manufac- 
tured into a billiard-table. 

The cemetery of the city is located upon a neighboring 



VENICE. 257 

island, and the dead are conveyed thither in gondolas. Cha- 
ron's ferry is suggested in this idea, in connection with the 
fabled passage of the river Styx. 

Upon the grand door of St. Mark's Cathedral are ten 
lions' heads in bronze, in a row, with iron rings in their 
mouths for knockers. 

The Italian churches are all built of rock, marble, or 
brick, and are indestructible. They never wear out or fall 
down. The durable and massive character of the materials 
which enter into their composition makes them very cold, 
and sometimes exceedingly damp. According to Roman 
Catholic writers, the "sacred chilliness" which every body 
feels upon entering these temples, is the true sense which 
Christian architecture should aim to communicate. 

The largest lustral vases of holy water that I ever saw I 
found in the Cathedral of St. Mark. These vases would 
hold, I should judge, upward of a barrel of water apiece. 
Every thing connected with the cathedrals of Italy is on a 
colossal scale. I recollect that a company of travellers at 
Rome, after regarding at a distance very attentively for some 
time a column of conspicuous size before the temple of St. 
Peter, supposed that two men might span around it ; upon 
making the experiment, eight men were required to span the 
column. Upon the top of this column, a man hid himself 
among some of the sculptured ornaments with which it was 
decorated, and nobody could tell what had become of him. 
The statue of St. Luke in this temple holds in its hand a pen 
fifteen feet lono;. 

Some writers have dwelt particularly upon the unpleasant 



258 Venice. 

character of the canals of Venice, and described them as 
stagnant, green, and exhaling much effluvia. The narrow 
canals margined by the habitations of the lower classes are, it 
must be confessed, fat* from being very clean or salubrious ; 
but the grand and main canals are, in truth, pure enough for 
a nymph to bathe in. They are as pure and as blue as the 
sea itself. It is never fair to look out for exceptions, and to 
bring them forward as evidences of the general character of a 
place. Venice, like all other cities, has its imperfections, but 
in the midst of so many redeeming features they sink into 
obscurity. For myself, in all my rambles and in all my 
observations, I have discerned nothing but poetry and beauty 
throughout the city. However, some persons are afflicted 
with such a criticising, fault-finding disposition, that if placed 
in Paradise they would endeavor to discover some imperfec- 
tions. The Ducal Palace astonishes me very much. I do 
not know what to compare it with, except the Alhambra 01 
Granada. It was here that Othello addressed the " assembled 
senate." 

The floor of St. Mark's Cathedral is very roiling and 
uneven ; in walking upon its pavement one feels the sensation 
of walking upon waves. Some assert that this irregularity 
was intentional, and intended to prefigure the surface of the 
Adriatic. The grand piazza or square of St. Mark is in front 
of the Cathedral. This square is called the " heart " ot 
Venice. It is also called the forum, the exchange, the 
arena, of this beautiful city. There is scarcely an inhabitant 
of Venice that does not visit it at least once a day. It was 
in this square that Othello first saw Desdemona ; and it was 



VENICE. 259 

here that Bianca Capello beckoned to Bonaventuri, and gave 
that pledge that was destined to raise her at no distant day 
to the throne of the Medici. When Napoleon visited this 
magnificent square he compared it to a saloon, and added 
that the heavens only were worthy to serve for its covering. 
The palaces which inclose it are noble beyond description. 
The Celebrated " Florian Coffee-House " is situated in one of 
them, and is never closed. It has remained open, night and 
day, ever since its foundation. Three hundred cups of coffee 
are dispensed every day at this establishment. I was lately 
introduced to a venerable old gentleman who had seen the 
ingress of three Emperors into Venice — 

First — Napoleon, in „ .1809 

Second — Francis I., 1815 

Third— Ferdinand L, 1838 

The most splendid and memorable celebration occurred 
on the occasion of Napoleon's visit. The "Square," the 
Cathedral, the bell-tower, and Ducal Palace were illuminated 
every night during his stay. These places were one blaze of 
fire. Six hogsheads of oil, besides thousands and thousands 
of candles, were nightly consumed in sustaining this particu- 
lar illumination. 

The old gentleman told me that the celebration of the 
festival of " Corpus Domini" was probably more splendid in 
Venice than even in Rome itself. He assured me that the 
canopy (or umbrella) used on the occasion was composed 
almost entirely of solid gold, and cost the sum of twenty-four 
thousand dollars. 



260 VENICE. 

The bell-tower of St. Mark's Cathedral stands in the 
Square, detached from the church. It is forty-two feet broad 
at the base, and its height is three hundred and twenty -three 
feet. Its summit is reached by a winding passage. Napo- 
leon ascended this "Venetian Chimborazo" on horseback. 

Originally there were nine hundred palaces in Venice, 
but time and the mutability of fortune have materially 
lessened the number. I lately visited the "Pisani Palace." 
This palace is probably one of the largest in the city. One 
of its founders was a distinguished naval commander in the 
days of the Republic. In the hall just over the grand door I 
noticed three old lamps which had once been used in the 
Venetian war-galleys. The largest was more than ten feet 
high. The knocker upon the front door of this mansion is of 
immense size ; it would alarm a town. 

I visited the church of the " Scalci," and over the entrance 
of one of its doors read the following inscription : 

Hie est janua Vitas Mtevnse. 
This is the gate of Eternal Life. 

The epitaphs upon the tombs in this church are re- 
markably concise and significant. Take the following for a 
specimen : 

Familise de Fonseca — eineres. 

One of the boldest looking churches in the city is that 
of the "Jesuits." It contains a very magnificent pulpit, 
composed entirely of marble. Even the canopy, drapery, 



VENICE. 261 

and curtains of this pulpit are of solid marble, all gracefully 
and ingeniously sculptured in imitation of satin. 

The "Eialto" and Square of St. Mark are very noisy 
places, and always crowded with people ; but the other parts 
of the city are quite silent, and indifferently frequented. In 
many sections the bridges, as well as the streets and squares, 
are overgrown with grass. I have seen small flocks of sheep 
turned out to graze in some of these places. 

In the course of a walk, I one day viewed the ruins of 
the church of the " Servi." This church had twenty-eight 
altars ; they are now all thrown down — nothing but the 
naked walls of the temple remain ; the floor is deeply earthed 
and grass-grown, and tall trees lift their stately heads above 
the ruins of the main altar. 

Trees and gardens are a real luxury in Venice. They 
are as grateful to the eye as plants and flowers on board a 
ship. Here the scent of cultivated fields is unknown. If you 
leave the thickly-settled parts and travel to the suburbs for 
fresh air, you get the sea-air of the Adriatic. Omnibuses 
(gondolas) ply between the extremity of the grand canal and 
St. Mark's Square ; fare, five cents ; distance, one mile and a 
half. Sign-boards at the station of departure may be seen, 
which read thus — " Omnibus per St. Marc." 

Sea-weeds cling to the marble steps of the palaces ; crabs 
sometimes leave the canals and crawl upon them. "Lots" 
are very high in Venice, because the ground is so scarce. 

I have visited the houses where the following eminent 
men once lived, viz., Goldoni, Titian, Marco Polo, Doge Fos- 
cari, Doge Marino Faliero, Canova, Petrarch, and Byron. 
11* 



262 VENICE. 

The females of the plebeian classes wear neither hats nor 
bonnets, but they have dark, rich hair, which they braid and 
arrange in the form of a Roman helmet. 

The Turks have a small mosque on the grand canal. 
The Jews are rather numerous, and have eight synagogues. 
They have twice been expelled from the city. The head 
and frout of their offending appears on both occasions to have 
been usury. 

There is a parish in Venice called " Parish of the Angel 
Raphael." 

There are twenty-four shops upon the bridge of the Rialto. 
It was in the square close by the bridge that the " Exchange " 
was formerly held, "the place where merchants most did 
congregate," and where Antony u spat on the Jew's gaber- 
dine." Shylock's favorite post may still be found. The Ex- 
change is now held in the Square of St. Mark, and the Square 
of the Rialto is turned into a vegetable market. 

The average depth of the canals is about six feet, but the 
channel of the grand canal is from eighteen to twenty feet 
deep. I noticed a topsail schooner, of about one hundred 
and fifty tons, called the " Nina," at anchor close by the 
Rialto. The chief article of exportation at present is beads ; 
many cargoes are annually sent to England, destined for the 
East Indian, South American, and African markets. The 
arsenal is two miles in circuit, and contains arms, in six apart- 
ments, for 60,000 men. It is girded with strong walls and 
towel's. 

The coffins at Venice are merely rough pine boxes, 
without either plate, paint, or embellishment of any kind. 



VENICE. 263 

In shape they bear some resemblance to a seaman's quadrant 
case. The seams are coated with black pitch. 

The narrow canals and secluded parts of the city are, as I 
have already observed, not much frequented. If you should 
happen to walk overboard of a dark night in such sections, 
you might splash about till daybreak before any body would 
hear you or come to help you out. 

The Venetian republic, after a glorious and memorable 
career of 1400 years, fell on the 12th May, 1797, into the 
hands of Napoleon Bonaparte. At that date her affairs were 
governed by Ludovico Manin, the CXXth, and last of the 
Doges. 

Upon the fall of Napoleon, Venice became annexed to 
the Austrian empire, to which power she still continues in 
hopeless subjection. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

A voyage through the grand canal by moonlight is full of 
interest. At 9 o'clock in the evening I was in the square of 
St. Mark, but as the moon would not rise until after 10, I 
concluded to remain in this thronged resort until her appear- 
ance. In the interim I had the good fortune to see Marshal 
Marmont. He was sitting before the " Caffe Suttil," with a 
company of ladies and gentlemen, and I regarded, thought 
of, and studied him for more than an hour. He may be 
called a "young old man." He is tall and stout, somewhat 
inclined to corpulency, and struck me as bearing a marked 
resemblance to General Scott : stands very erect, has a mili- 
tary commanding presence, prominent features, bold nose, 
large mouth and eyes, with thick black eyebrows, hair gray, 
rather scant on the crown, full face with considerable color. 
He was dressed in blue, with a buff vest, flourished a light 
handy cane and conversed with great affability. He appeared 
to be in the enjoyment of excellent health and spirits, and to 
be active, lively, and energetic. He is held in no esteem by 
the Venetians, who call him a traitor whenever his name is 
mentioned. 



VENICE. 265 

Marshal Marmont was bom at Chatillon sur Seine, in 
1774, of a noble family. He was at the siege of Toulon, at 
Lodi, Mantua, Egypt, Marengo, Ragusa, Spain, Lutzen, Bautzen, 
Dresden and Leipsic, and figured conspicuously in the capitu- 
lation of Paris, and in the revolution of 1830, as chief in 
command under Charles X., scattered the bodies of 5000 of 
his countrymen over the pavements of the French capital. 
He accompanied the dethroned king to England, and has 
been an exile from France ever since. He was a valiant and 
excellent general, but his noble deeds are under a cloud. Of 
all the marshals created by Napoleon (twenty three in num- 
ber), Marmont is the onty survivor.* His marshals have 
mostly lived to a great age. Among those last deceased — - 

St. Cyr died in 1330, aged 66 

Mortier do 1835, do 67 

Victor do 1841, do 75 

Moncey do 1842, do 88 

Bernadottedo 1844, do 80 

Oudinot do 1847, do 80 

Grouchy do 1847, do 81 

Soult do 1851, do 82 

At about half-past ten o'clock at night I quitted the square 
of St. Mark, and embarked in a gondola from the pier of the 

* On the 2nd of March 1852, Marshal Marmont, after a brief illness 
of only six days, expired in the city of Venice; aged seventy-eight. 
His body was embalmed immediately after his death, and dressed in 
the uniform of a Marshal of France. In his last moments he expressed 
the wish that his remains might be allowed to be conveyed to Paris, 
and honored with a sepulchre in the " Hotel des Invalides." 



266 VENICE. 

Ducal Palace, to make the excursion by moonlight through 
the Grand Canal, returning by the external channel called the 
Giudecca. Upon our departure we noted on our left the 
church of St. Giorgio ; also the custom-house and church of 
St. Maria della Salute ; on the right, after passing the gardens 
of the government palace, and the pavilion in a Greek style, 
built by Napoleon, we noted the palace Trevis, formerly Emo, 
next the palace Giustiniani, now the Hotel Europe ; a little 
further, the Casa Ferro, which, although it has only two win- 
dows in front, is a beautiful specimen of the Venetian Gothic 
style. Further, on the same side, the palace " Corner," now 
occupied by the Royal delegation of thejprovince. Further, 
on the left, incrusted with fine marbles, and bearing this in- 
scription, " Genio urbis Johannes Darius" (In the regards of 
the city — John Darius) is the palace Dario ; beyond, with a 
quay in front, " the Academy of Fine Arts," enriched with an 
extensive collection of the works of the great Venetian masters ; 
opposite to this, is the " tragito," or ferry of " St. Vitale," 
the busiest ferry on the grand canal, where it is proposed to 
erect a suspension bridge ; proceeding, on the right, the palace 
Guistinian Lolin : on the left, that of Contarini degli Scrigni, 
and Rezzonico ; also three of the Giustiniani family in the 
mediaeval style of Venice ; next that of the " Foscari." Here, 
in 15 74, Francis I. was lodged. This palace is of immense 
size, and contains as many windows as there are days in the 
year; next succeeds the palace "Balbi." The temporary 
building for the judges who distributed the prizes on the 
grand canal was always erected by the side of this edifice, as 
it commands a view of both reaches of the canal. On the 



VENICE. 267 

same line appears a large palace of a yellow hue, occupied 
by Prince Esterhazy and Marshal Marmont, Duke of Ragusa. 
On the opposite side that of the Count di Chambord or Duke 
de Bordeaux, the pretender to the throne of France ; next 
the "Contarini," and the three palaces of the Moceningo 
family. The first is inhabited by a French merchant ; the 
other two are still occupied by members of the Moceningo 
family. 

Lord Byron resided in one of them in 1818. The " Mo- 
ceningi " were among the most illustrious of the Venetian 
aristocracy ; they gave seven doges to Venice, and the " Con- 
tarini" eight. Next, the palace "Pisani," containing the 
celebrated painting of the tent of Darius by Paolo Veronese ; 
then, the palaces of " Barbarigo," and " Spinelli," and that of 
the " Grimani," now occupied by the post-office. Two doges 
were of the Grimani family. The " Tiepolo " and " Farsetti " 
palaces succeed, with that of "Manin;" the last doge of 
Venice. This brings the voyager to the " Rialto," the only 
bridge that spans this majestic and spacious canal. Beyond 
the Rialto we passed the " Casa d' Oro " the residence of 
Madame Taglioni, who owns two others on the same canal; 
next the vast "Pesaro" mansion, and afterwards that of 
"Vendramini Calergi," now occupied and owned by the 
Duchesse de Berri ; and ultimately, after passing numerous 
other palaces and churches, reached the island of St. Chiara, 
which is at the end of the grand canal. We then rounded 
the island and stood toward the Giudecca. Passing the 
Campo di Marte we noticed several square-rigged vessels, and 
heard some sounds from the little islands on the right ; these 



268 VENICE. 

sounds proceeded from sentinels exchanging the countersigns 
of the night. We then heard another kind of noise, which 
proceeded from fishermen letting out their nets for a draught. 
We soon descried the solitary tower of the old church of 
Saint Sebastian, and continuing our homeward course through 
the channel of the Giudecca, passed a large number of vessels 
which had brought salt to the port. The salt depot was on 
the left, and alongside thereof were numerous dark flat-bot- 
tomed boats, in readiness to receive and convey cargoes of 
this commodity up the rivers into the various communities of 
the kingdom ; while beyond were moored a large body of 
craft laden with lumber waiting for purchasers. The church of 
the " Eedentore " is situated on the island of the Giudecca. 
I was told that on the anniversary festival of this church the 
intervening channel between the island and Venice is bridged 
with gondolas for the passage of the celebration. The 
width of the channel at this place is about four hundred 
feet. 

We reached the piazza of St. Mark just as the grand 
tower bell tolled the solemn hour of twelve, and moored our 
gondola between the two columns near the pier. In our 
voyage we did not pass a solitary gondola. It was a lovely 
moonlight night ; silent as the grave. Our gondolier had a 
good voice, and he called out in sonorous tones the names of 
the different palaces, and points of interest, as we passed them. 
He was very concise, and said nothing but to the purpose ; 
every word told. As he called out the names of the objects 
of importance on the route, the sensations produced were 
similar to those I recollect to have experienced, when I rode 



VENICE. 269 

forth to survey the walls and monuments of Rome. On that 
occasion the driver pursued the same course, and repeated in 
succession the name of every object in the order of its 
appearance. The " Pantheon," "- Arch of Titus," " Palace of 
the Caesars," " Circus of Romulus," " Tomb of the Scipios," 
" Temple of Vesta," &c. 

A number of the edifices on the grand canal are in a very 
dilapidated condition. I was shown the foundations of a 
palace commenced under the Republic, and intended to have 
been the largest, and most magnificent on the canal : but the 
Council of Ten, from motives of jealousy, arrested its prosecu- 
tion. The first story only had been finished, and that is now 
overgrown with plants and grass. 

My companion told me that on one occasion he passed 
through the canal at midnight with a friend. They were 
rowed by two gondoliers, who sang for them the poetry of 
Tasso, which materially heightened the romantic character of 
the excursion. 

The celebration of the festival of " Corpus Domini " is 
performed with great pomp in Venice. As the numerous 
bridges and canals preclude the passage of the procession 
through the city, the whole demonstration is concentrated in 
the grand square of Saint Mark. I saw with much interest 
the consummation of this favorite festival of the Venetians. 
First came soldiers, with muskets and knapsacks, marching at 
a very slow pace ; next, all the different schools and fraterni- 
ties dressed chiefly in scarlet, preceded by a company of able- 
bodied men, bearing wax candles of extraordinary size : these 
candles were the largest I ever saw carried in procession. 



270 VENICE. 

Most of them were wreathed with flowers, and the air was 
perfumed with their fragrance. Two small children were 
earned in the arms of men. These children were dressed to 
personate the Saviour and John the Baptist. The child who 
personated the latter character wore a sheepskin jacket, which 
only covered his waist as low as the ribs, leaving every thing 
below naked. The child who personated the former was 
lightly clothed, and wore a nimbus or glory, upon the crown 
of his head. Afterwards followed two boys with a tea-board 
covered with rose leaves; they scattered these leaves by 
handfuls as they moved along the course : meanwhile, another 
boy behind them carried a large bag filled with rose leaves, 
and he, as fast as his companions exhausted the board, 
replenished it from his bag. The effect was very fine. Then 
came the professors of learning, and the office-holders of the 
government, followed by a long train of servants. Then an 
angel. This character was sustained by a little child with 
golden wings, and a glory upon his crown. The child was 
carried in the arms of a man, and scattered rose leaves along 
the way. 

At length came the umbrella, or canopy of the church of 
St. Rocco, composed entirely of pure, rich gold. Afterwards, 
preceded by music and soldiers, came the Host, under a 
separate canopy of gold, and surrounded by every conceivable 
display of pomp. 

One might easily have told that something mighty was 
coming, by the stir among the people, and the thick clouds of 
incense that enveloped this part of the column. Most con- 
spicuous appeared the priests with their costly vestments 



VENICE. 271 

glittering in the sun, walking close together, and chanting 
in deep tones the service of the occasion. The old patriarch 
who carried the Host kept his eyes shut almost all the way, 
and several of the aged canons at his side did the same. 
Immediately behind them came Baron Puchner, the military 
and civil Governor of the province, with his brilliant staff 
around him with their heads uncovered. The whole cere- 
mony reminded me of an Apotheosis. The military person- 
ages wore white frock coats and scarlet pantaloons, with stars 
and decorations of honor upon their breasts. The Governor, 
as a badge of office, was distinguished by a rich scarf. Then 
followed huge pole candlesticks decked with golden trappings 
and swinging ornaments, which, being moved by the wind, 
produced a very mysterious noise which hushed every thing- 
else to silence. A standard-bearer carried a cruciform staff, 
with a remarkable figure of the " All-seeing Eye," on the 
top. 

The Governor and his aids were bowing and bending 
every moment during the march ; with such high examples 
before them the people could not help doing the same thing. 
A long train of Capuchin monks, having venerable beards of 
great length, brought up the rear ; some of these beards 
reached as low as the waist and excited considerable attention. 
Every now and then would be heard a heavy discharge ot 
musketiy, from a battalion of soldiers stationed in a particular 
part of the square. The large flock of pigeons that frequent 
this resort perched themselves on the eaves of the palaces, 
and remaining tranquil in their places, surveyed the show 
with great interest. However, when the musketry was dis- 



272 VENICE. 

charged they were, of course, greatly startled, and for the 
moment were in a dreadful flutter ; but this soon subsided. 
They appeared pleased with every thing but the gun explo- 
sions. At last, the procession, which had already occupied 
two hours in completing the circuit of the square, arrived 
before the door of the Cathedral. At this moment, at the 
tinkling sound of a bell, all the people in this immense 
inclosure fell on the pavement upon their knees, and the 
square became one grand temple of worshippers. After a 
pause of perfect silence, the military discharged a heavy 
platoon of musketry, and the pageant was over. 

In the church of St. Maria dell' Orto is a singular painting 
by Tintoretto, relative to the future state. It is of enormous 
size, being at least sixty feet by thirty, and, in its main out- 
lines, harmonizes more with the ./Eneiad than the Bible. 
Scholars who have visited the mammoth cave of Kentucky, 
and are familiar with the works of the classic authors, recog- 
nize a remarkable coincidence between the scenes in that 
subterraneous cavern and the Hades, or Shades, of the 
heathen poets. This extraordinary cavern has been explored 
in its avenues upward of seven hundred miles, and in its 
awful depths, more than six hundred feet. It abounds with 
an almost endless succession of halls, labyrinths, arches, grot- 
toes, pits, bridges, bowers, rivers, and lakes ; some of the 
latter being large enough, and of sufficient depth, to float a 
navy. Boats, torches, and habitations are found therein, and 
likewise human beings, who, from various motives, dwell 
among its gloomy shades. 

Nobody can stand upon the balcony of the Ducal Palace 



VENICE. 273 

without realizing something of the Olympian magnificence of 
Venice. Upon my first visit the view almost overpowered 
me ; indeed, I felt it a relief to retire for a season, and look 
about the humbler parts of the city, until my faculties were 
sufficiently recovered for a more extended course of obser- 
vation. 

The saloons of this noble palace are embellished with 
paintings of immense size. They illustrate the history of the 
Republic, and the truths of revelation. The chief apartment 
contains the library, and Tintoretto's vast tableau of the 
" Glory of Paradise," and is called the " Saloon of the Great 
Council." It is l^o^ feet long, 84| feet broad, and 51^ feet 
high. Round this chamber is the celebrated frieze of por- 
traits of the doges, with the black veil or handkerchief cov- 
ering the space which should have been occupied by the 
portrait of " Marino Faliero." The letters of the well-known 
inscription are in yellow or faded gilt characters. The like- 
ness of " Manin," the last doge, has lately been introduced, 
and there are thirteen spaces left for those of succeeding 
doges. 

Some valuable allegorical engravings in frames attracted 
my attention ; one of which bore the following motto : 

" Virtue is worthy of the empire of the world." 

The Italians are fond of mottoes, and introduce them fre- 
quently to great advantage. I remember to have read a 
very good one on the marble floor of the Tribune, in honor 
of " Galileo," in Florence ; it was this, — 



274 VENICE. 

" Provando e reprovando." 
Trying and trying again. 

Passing from the Saloon of the Great Council, I entered 
the " Balloting Chamber." The principal door is a triumphal 
arch erected to Francesco Morosini, surnamed " II Pelopon- 
nessaico," from his having conquered the Morea. On the 
wall opposite to the triumphal arch is the famous painting of 
the Universal Judgment ; one of the best works of Jacopo 
Palma. The artist has introduced four angels as trumpeters, 
each blowing with great strength a very long trumpet. One 
trumpeter is seen in the obscure part with his body up, and 
head down, blowing into the very abyss. The good are seen 
receiving assistance from ministering angels, who seem to be 
guiding them to glorious stations, and to be brushing away, 
as it were, the grave-dust from their clothes. The wicked 
are driven by angels of vengeance, who cut them with 
swords, and thrust them, with military severity, into the ter- 
ritory of Satan. It is almost impossible to count the number 
of figures that crowd this grand painting. 

"A waving sea of heads was round me spread, 
And still fresh streams the gazing deluge fed." 

The Saviour occupies the high centre position. He ap- 
pears wearing a red robe loosely cast about him. The light 
around his throne is exceeding bright. The artist in this 
great work has not put mitres, or crowns, or monks' or nuns' 
habits on his figures. He seems rather to have treated men 
as men. The old and young appear, and the sexes also, but 



VENICE. 275 

not the sectarian, or professional badges so common through- 
out Italy in paintings upon this subject. I noticed that there 
were various stages of progress in the bodies of the rising 
dead. For example : one appeared but as a skeleton ; anoth- 
er had recovered his flesh, but not his hair ; others had re- 
covered every thing, and had got upon their feet. A female 
naked, appeared rubbing her eyes, as if just awoke out of a 
deep slumber. 

The subject of the final judgment has employed the pen- 
cils of the most gifted artists who have ever lived. But of 
all the paintings that have ever been produced, that of Mi- 
chael Angelo in the Sistine Chapel at Rome is, by general 
consent, acknowledged to be the greatest. Preparatory to 
visiting this masterpiece I passed a day in the library of the 
Propaganda, in the study of the plans, engravings, and details 
of the work. Michael Angelo has been truly styled the 
" Milton of artists." He not only excelled in painting, but 
also in architecture, literature, and sculpture. He sculptured 
wood, stone, marble, and brass, and in the arts of design has 
had no equal since the days of Phidias. Sir Joshua Rey- 
nolds, speaking of his style, compared it to language — the 
language of the gods. The predominating features in his 
painting in the Sistine Chapel are grandeur, power, and sub- 
limity. It covers the entire wall behind the altar. From 
his perfect knowledge of anatomy, he has been enabled to 
accomplish wonders. In fact, so life-like does every thing 
appear, that in looking upon the painting, I almost fancied I 
could see the dead rising, life reviving, and perceive even the 
flesh creeping upon the very bones of the figures. It is ob- 



276 VENICE. 

vious, that to paint the subject in the graphic manner he has 
done, he must have had the reality frequently and vividly 
before his imagination. Indeed, his language to a friar on a 
certain occasion, as he descended from his scaffold at the 
close of the labors of the day, contains such an intimation : 

"The judgment day — I tell thee, friar, 
Oft, when my mind hath fully fixed itself 
On that tremendous theme, the terrible day 
Hath seemed so present, that I've paused to hear 
The summoning trumpet, seen th' unvestured dead 
Break through the mould I stood upon, and turn 
Their pale, despairing faces to the sky." 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

letrite. 

Without the sun, Venice appears like a widow, but with the 
sun, like a bride. The buildings of the city are painted when 
built, and seldom, if ever, afterward. The edifices have a 
sea-worn appearance, and like that of vessels that have been 
a long time out of port. The houses have a land and a water 
entrance. If a house needs repair on the canal side, a boat 
is hauled alongside with a staging, and the building repaired 
in the same way as a ship. There is no dust in Venice. 
Crickets are sold in tiny cages. It is amusing to go into the 
stores of an evening and hear a cricket concert. Beer shops 
are numerous ; they have a small bundle of fresh shavings 
hung over the door, to signify what they sell. Perhaps 
shavings may serve as a good emblem of foaming beer. 

Cne of the bridges is styled " Ponte di donna onesta," 
(bridge of the honest woman). 

Paintings of the Virgin Mary appear everywhere. Those 
upon the byways and corners are much tattered from time 
and exposure. In some cases a friendly female hand has 
intervened and sewed up the rents in the canvas. 

The house of Goldoni, the eminent comic writer, is 
12 



278 VENICE. 

situated in a very narrow street ; the house is very high, and 
shows a marble tablet over the door, which reads thus : 

" AN, MDCCVII. 
Carohis Goldonus hie ortum habuit; plaudentibus musis.'' 

In the year 1707, 
Charles Goldoni had here his birth ; approved of the muses. 

The palace of " Priuli," so famous in Otway's tragedy of 
" Jaffier," is still shown, but its ancient glory is no more, and 
the palace of the doge Marino Faliero (decapitated for high 
treason) is deserted. The " Foscari " palace has been con- 
verted into Austrian barracks. I looked into its noble court 
and observed a large body of infantry drawn up for drill. In 
the centre of the court some soldiers were drinking out of 
the water bucket of its marble well. 

Upon an old sun-dial I read the following quaint inscrip- 
tion : 

Nihil eum umbra, 
Nihil sine umbra. 

I am nothing when there is shadow, 
And without shadow I am nothing. 

Many of the old massive Venetian palaces, preserve their 
" water line " as distinct, as if only yesterday erected. Some, 
however, incline a little, particularly the towers. Some of 
the towel's lean like old men. 

In the church of the " Eedeemer " I noticed a magnifi- 
cent model of a church ; all the ornaments of which were 



VENICE. 279 

remarkably elaborate, and composed entirely of infinitesimal 
fractions of holy relics. The toil upon it must have been 
immense : it was the work of a monk. NeaF^Ihe church of 
" Maria della Salute," I noticed a soldier on guard, armed 
only with a bayonet. Sometimes they mount guard armed 
with guns, sometimes with swords, and sometimes with 
bayonets, according to the importance of the post. 

The fire engines of Venice are quite small, and portable, 
and are kept in the basement story of the ducal palace, and 
when a fire occurs, are put on board a gondola and hurried 
to the scene of conflagration. 

Low marble basins are placed in many streets throughout 
the city, and daily replenished with water, for dogs and 
chickens to quench their thirst. 

When an apartment is to let, it is one of the usages of 
the place to indicate the fact by pasting a square piece of 
white paper about the size of a human hand upon the 
window. If a whole house is to let, every window will 
exhibit the same sign. No writing whatever appears upon 
these bills. 

In the church of the " Frari " may be seen the stupendous 
monument of the doge Giovanni Pesaro, who died in 1658. 
It is supported by colossal Moors or negroes of black marble, 
dressed in white marble ; their black elbows and knees 
protruding through the rents of their white jackets and trow- 
sers. Two bronze skeletons of death bear sepulchral scrolls, 
and dragons sustain a funeral urn. In the centre sits the 
doge. In the same church, opposite the tomb of the doge 
Foscari, is the monument of the doge Tron, fifty feet in width, 



280 VENICE. 

and seventy in height, being composed of six distinct stories, 
and adorned by nineteen whole length figures, larger than 
life, beside a profusion of bas-reliefs and other ornaments 
Another monument of note in the same temple, is that of 
Canova : it is a vast pyramid of white marble, into whose 
opened door of bronze, various mourners are entering in 
funeral procession. Art and Genius are the chief mourners. 
These figures are as large as life, and produce a very imposing 
effect. 

I have ascended many of the old clock-towers of this 
ducal city, and passed very profitable seasons in their belfries. 
I have loved to stand where the pendulum pulsates, and to 
count the beats, as they marked the passing moments. They 
reminded me of life in the human body ; of the heart of man. 
Sometimes a window would enable me to look into the side, 
and examine all the movements of the machinery. As I 
paused and listened to the regular and vigorous pulsations of 
these old time-keepers, I inquired how long they had been thus 
chronicling the flight of time, and history replied, that they 
began when the name America was not known in the hymn 
of nations. 

The library of the ducal palace contains 65,000 volumes 
and 5000 manuscripts. I have passed many days in a little ante- 
chamber over the " Bridge of Sighs,'' poring over some of the 
choicest books in this collection. It did not take long for me to 
discover that the history of Venice is a study of itself. A gen- 
tleman connected with the palace gave me on request, a listot 
works thereon, comprising some sixty or seventy volumes in 
Latin. Greek, and Italian, and veiy gravely told me that when 



VENICE. 281 

I had finished that list he would give me another ! It is 
almost discouraging to look at the massive libraries of Europe, 
and to think at the same time of the brevity of human life. 
To a young friend I one day lamented this unfortunate cir- 
cumstance, and he, after a moment's thought, replied, that we 
had this salvo for our consolation, we are under no obligation 
to read them ! 

Venice contains 28,000 houses, and is built on seventy- 
two little islands, united by bridges. In the ducal library I 
saw a chart of these islands as they appeared before the 
foundation of the city, and they were so small that they 
looked like eggs floating in the water. 

The canals of Venice would be fatal to drunken men ; 
after every holiday it would be necessary to fish for their 
bodies. 

Storekeepers, who sell on sacred days, in lieu of being 
fined are compelled to close their stores for a few days as a 
public example. Recently, I noticed a store closed with an 
official notice posted on the door, which read thus : " Closed 
by order of the municipal authorities, for having transgressed 
the discipline in reference to the observance of sacred 
days." 

The orologio of St. Mark's square has a bronzed figure of 
the Virgin Mary and child, seated, and when the clock strikes 
the hour, an angel with a trumpet, and three kings or magi, 
issue from a door, pass before her, bow, and retire. 

In the parish of St. Luca, my attention was directed to a 
very remarkable tower. It appeared to be the counterpart 
of the leaning tower of Pisa. 



282 VEKICE. 

Upon a catafalco in the church of St. Geremia I noticed 
some very odd devices. The figures were all skeletons. 
One was looking at an hour-glass which it held in its hand. 
They all had hats or caps of different descriptions on their 
heads. The first had a papal tiara; the second, a crown; the 
third, a mitre ; the fourth, a curate's cap ; and the fifth, a 
peasant's beaver. This was intended to signify that death 
levelled all ranks and all professions. 

" mors, quam amara est memoria tuaP 1 death, 
how bitter is thy remembrance ! 

The " castle system " of the feudal ages, still prevails in 
Venice. If you call at a house and pull the bell, you are 
asked by somebody from an upper story window, what you 
wish. If your answer is satisfactory, the door is opened. If 
you wish merely to leave a card, or note, a small basket is let 
down by a string to receive it. 

The great families, that once ruled the destinies of the 
state, still have some living representatives who bear their 
names, and occupy a few rooms in their palaces. 

The official journal of the city is called the " Venetian 
Gazette," and is very little relied upon, for candid and correct 
intelligence. It never communicates what transpires in the 
place. But it tells every day the age of the moon, and the 
state of the anemometer, hygrometer, and pluviometer ; and 
on these points studies to be as accurate as an almanac. 

The censorship of the press is, as might be expected, very 
arbitrary. A teacher, preparing a class-book for his pupils 
was very desirous of introducing the great sentiment of 
Alcaeus, so beautifully represented by Sir William Jones. 



VENICE. 283 

The censors corrected it by crossing out fifteen lines of the 
twenty, so that when published it stood thus : — 

What constitutes a state ? 
[here seven lines omitted.] 
Men, high-minded men — 

[three lines omitted.] 
Men who their duties know, 
But know their rights, and knowing dare maintain, 
[two lines omitted.] 
These constitute a state, 
[three last lines omitted.] 

The wonder is, that they permitted such a piece to be 
published, even in a mutilated form. The same author 
prepared a liberal article on the growth and prospects of the 
United States, which experienced a similar fate. 

The images, in statue form, of our Saviour, are so much 
kissed in the churches and in the street, that the toes and 
sometimes half of the feet are kissed off. In the church of 
the " Frari," after the service of the mass, as the priest was 
retiring to the vestry, some little children ran after him, 
touched the hem of his garment with their hands, and then 
kissed them. 

The Christian names in use among the Venetian ladies 
sound very noble and beautiful. Take the following for ex- 
ample — Almerinda, Flavia, Livia, Zefirina, Valentina, Aureli- 
ana, Fabiana, Olimpia, Fulgenzia, Leonilda, Regina, Ruffina, 
Crescenzia, Graziosa, Vittorella, Dionisia, Bettina. 

Marriages and deaths are rarely, if ever, published 
in Italy, unless the parties concerned be of noble or royal 
birth. 



284 VENICE. 

Through the kindness of a friend, I "was introduced into 
the family of a young widow, who had only lately sustained 
the loss of her earthly consort ; her children were at her side, 
and their appearance added a new interest to the picture. I 
noted on a slip of paper (with the proper translation affixed,) 
these words from the works of Shakspeare, which were 
received by her with many gratifying acknowledgments — 

" Thou art a wido-vr ; yet thou art a mother, 
And hast the comfort of thy children left thee." 

It is recorded that the Emperor Charles V. once visited 
Venice, and when the reigning doge showed him the treasury 
of Saint Mark, and the glory of his princely palace, instead 
of admiring them, he remarked, " These are the things that 
make men so loth to die." 

The Italians are very cold and tame in church, but at the 
opera, under the influence of exciting music, they become 
remarkably warm and enthusiastic. At the opera in Italy 
one may hear a perfect tempest of melody. In a country 
where the passion for music is so general, the opera is carried 
to the highest degree of perfection. Hence, no wonder that, 
in some of the grand representations, the building trembles 
from the enthusiasm of the people. On extraordinary occa- 
sions the chief performers are received with hurricanes of 
applause, and literally bombarded with flowers, wreaths, and 
bouquets. I can readily believe the assertion in reference to 
the voice of " Catilini." It is said that such was the torrent 
of sound she emitted at one moment, that the glass globules 
pendant from the central chandelier, were powerfully agitated 



VENICE. 285 

and struck against each other. In powerful hands music will 
outdo itself. 

Venice is connected with the main land by a bridge of 
stone two miles and four hundred and sixteen yards in length, 
containing two hundred and twenty-two arches. The soil of 
the bottom of the lagoon, where it is built, is entirely mud. 
The foundation is formed with piles, driven into the bed of 
the lagoon ; 80,000 larch piles were used in the foundation, 
and in the bridge itself twenty-one millions of bricks, and 
176,437 cubic feet of Istrian stone. The work cost $933, 
330, and was built expressly for the new railroad from Padua 
and Verona, which daily traverses it. 

The undertakers of Venice are dressed in scarlet, and the 
massive candlesticks used on funeral occasions are painted 
scarlet. The pharmacies, like the hotels, have generally 
some style or title. One pharmacy I noticed styled " Phar- 
macy of the Six Lilies," with a corresponding number of 
lilies painted over the door. 

In this intricate city a stranger is liable to become bewil- 
dered and go astray ; to obviate this, a white marble streak 
is placed in the walks and bridges, so that if it be followed it 
will conduct from all quarters to the square of Saint Mark, 
which is in the heart of the place. This answers the same 
purpose as the string spoken of in the labyrinth of " Rosa- 
mond." There are twenty-five little islands sprinkled over 
the lagoons in sight of the city. Flowers are cultivated upon 
them, and sent fresh every morning into Venice. In the 
market, near the Rialto, twelve beautiful roses may be pur- 
chased for one cent ; but the flower girls, with their " Bloom- 
12* 



286 



VENICE. 



er " hats, who visit the coffee saloons in Saint Mark's square, 
expect a much handsomer gratuity for their offerings. 

In rambling near the railroad station I saw a fine locomo- 
tive lettered " Marco Polo." 

There is no " W " in the Italian alphabet ; hence, when 
the printers and bookbinders have occasion to copy an Eng- 
lish title or phrase, in which that letter occurs, they are ac- 
customed to unite two V's to form the letter W. 

In the churches the pelican is employed as an emblem 
of the love of the Saviour, and the phoenix of the resurrec- 
tion. The three tall masts before the cathedral of Saint 
Mark are said to typify the three great conquests of the Ve- 
netian power — Cyprus, Candia, and the Morea. 

In the church of the " Frari " is a tablet upon the pave- 
ment, near one of the altars, which reads thus : 

Qui giace il gran Tiziano de Vecelli, 
Emulator de' Zeusi e degli Apelli. 

Here lies the great Titian, 
Eival of Zeuxis and Apelles."* 



* Zeuxis and Apelles. Several anecdotes concerning these great 
painters have descended to us. Zeuxis painted a boy carrying grapes. 
The birds came and pecked ; some applauding, Zeuxis flew to the 
picture in a passion, saying ; " my boy must be very ill painted." 

Apelles painted a horse which was severely criticised by a person 
who examined it, and in such a manner that the pride of the artist 
was wounded. Resolved to put his performance to the test, he had a 
horse led into his painting room, where the animal, on beholding the 
picture, neighed, and thus secured the triumph of Apelles. 



VENICE. 287 

The soil of Italy is never fatigued ; it is always fresh and 
vigorous. 

I have now finished the tour of this classic land, and 
when I review its beautiful capitals, I feel as if I had been 
passing through a harem of cities. I have been in the midst 
of all its recent revolutions, and been an eye-witness of many 
of its conflicts for independence. Perhaps nothing can be 
more appalling to a novice, than the first outbreak of a 
revolt. I can compare it with nothing but an earthquake, or 
a storm at sea. The rattling of musketry and rumbling of 
cannon make the very ground to tremble, and drive every 
body but the combatants in terror to their homes ; while the 
consternation of women and children completes the tumult. 
I was in Leghorn, in 1848, when the people revolted against 
the Grand Duke, and planted the tree of liberty in the heart 
of the city. For some days the aspect of the place baffled 
description. All the churches and stores were closed, the 
operations of commerce suspended, and nothing but the hur- 
ried notes of war resounded through the town. One ni^ht a 
severe engagement took place, and on the following morning 
the grand square presented a most melancholy spectacle. 
The ground was dyed with blood, and a pyramid of dead 
bodies lay piled up as a monument in the centre. At length 
an accommodation was effected, and peace proclaimed, to 
the joy of both parties, who, by mutual consent, set apart 
the ensuing Sabbath for the celebration of the happy event. 
The day was signalized by special services in the churches, 
and a general turnout and promenade among the people. I 
mounted the steps of the Cathedral, so as to obtain a good 



288 VENICE. 

view of the vast concourse in the chief square, and I do not 
recollect to have seen a more extensive assemblage of ladies; 
in the same space. The general aspect of the square re- 
minded me of a vast flower-bed of ladies. As I gazed upon 
this living garden, I fancied that I could discover dahlias, 
roses, hyacinths, tulips, and even the delicate lily of the 
valley ; the tender buds also appeared, as well as the open- 
ing flower, for the rude blast of war had passed away, and 
gentle zephyrs were breathing peace and fragrance in the air. 

I was in Rome in the stormiest period of the continental 
revolutions, and watched them all with profound interest; 
but always felt a peculiar sympathy for that of Italy. As I 
looked upon her, she appeared to me like a " chained eagle," 
struggling for liberty. In her agony she cast a confiding eye 
toward Pius IX. and Charles Albert, but looked in vain. 

Mazzini, in his strong language, styles Pius IX. the 
Louis XVI. of papacy ; and Charles Albert, the Hamlet of 
monarchy. 

It is a very inspiring sight to behold the banner of one's 
country waving in the air in the heat of an exciting revolu- 
tion. In 1849 I was in Genoa, when the port was bombard- 
ed for three days by the king's troops, to reclaim the place 
from the republicans. At the American consulate at least 
five hundred persons were quartered for safety ; many of this 
number were ladies of rank, with their children ; others were 
proscribed persons, whose heads would not have been safe 
anywhere else. Jewelry and valuables to a large amount 
were likewise lodged in the same place for safe keeping. 
When I beheld the stars and stripes waving from the balcony 



VENICE. 289 

of the consulate, a banner bright and ample enough to be 
hoisted over the federal Capitol at Washington, and beheld 
the beauty and nobility of Genoa (the birthplace of the dis- 
coverer of my countiy), seeking refuge for their lives and 
fortunes beneath its protecting folds, I could not refrain from 
weeping ; I shed tears of enthusiasm for America. 

The figure of Italy, from its singular conformation, has 
been compared to a boot ; if so, Genoa must be its tassel. 
In this city, during those warlike days, I remember to have 
seen a very remarkable allegorical picture. It represented a 
revolution among the dead — a grave-yard revolt. The skele- 
tons were all rising. Emblems of liberty were in circulation. 
Some of the most commanding among the group were rais- 
ing and waving the tri-color flag ; others were ranging their 
comrades into ranks and companies, while another portion 
had seized crowbars, pickaxes, spades, and sticks, the only 
weapons on the ground, and were hastening to distribute 
them arnong the skeleton volunteers. Though rather late in 
the day, the dead were determined not to forego a blow for 
the redemption of their country. 

The tri-color flag, Lafayette predicted, would make the 
tour of the globe. This prediction will yet be fulfilled. 



CHAPTEE XXXVI. 

€ft Cross. 

" Is it not strange, the darkest hour 

That ever dawned on sinful earth, 
Should touch the heart with softer power 

For comfort, than an angel's mirth'? 
That to the Cross the mourner's eye slrould turn 
Sooner, than where the stars of Christmas burn'?" 

The emblem of the Cross is peculiarly dear to Italy ; she 
adopted it in the infancy of Christianity, and has been iden- 
tified with its employment ever since. 

Previous to the Crucifixion it was a sign of reproach 
among Jews and Gentiles ; but when that extraordinary 
event took place, its reproach vanished for ever. It was then 
" taken from the hill of Calvary, and made to glisten in the 
diadem of princes." 

It was this emblem that the Emperor Constantine beheld 
at noonday in the heavens, gleaming above the sun, and en- 
circled with the Greek inscription, " Tovtco Niko, " (By this 
conquer), and it was this he put upon his labarum in lieu of 
the eagle, and under it led his armies to victory. 

In the Crusades, the ensign throughout the war was the 
Cross; the Scotch carried the cross of St. Andrew; the 



THE CKOSS. 291 

French, a white cross ; the English, one of gold ; the Ger- 
mans, of sable ; the Italians, of azure ; and the Spaniards, 
of red. In the same age it became introduced into heraldry, 
and at this day thirty-nine different descriptions may be seen 
upon its shields ; while the sovereigns of Christendom have 
been equally emulous in its adoption, and have used it as a 
sign of distinction in their noblest decorations of honor. 

In Italy its use is extensive and general ; it gilds the tem- 
ples, and shines amid the ruins that cover the mountains, 
plains, and valleys of the land. Within the precincts of 
Pompeii I beheld a little chapel with a Cross upon its belfry, 
and worshippers entering its portals for devotion. This city 
was venerable even at the period of the advent of the Mes- 
siah. In the year 19 its destruction was caused by the 
eruption of Mount Vesuvius. In exploring its deserted pas- 
sages I turned into the " Street of Tombs," and entered some 
of the mausoleums built for the reception of the ashes of its 
noble families. These mausoleums stand like little temples 
. along the way, and resemble, in some respects, the houses of 
the living. The language of the inscriptions, and the nature 
of the carved allegories over the doors, appeared in keeping 
with the cheerless and desponding philosophy of the heathen 
religion. Here were representations of vessels furling their 
sails and entering into port, funeral ceremonies, reversed 
torches, earthly honors, gladiatorial contests, wars, oblations, 
sacrifices, and lamentations ; but nothing indicative of hope 
beyond the grave. Every thing seemed to sympathize with 
the language of Moschus in his epitaph on Bion, the ancient 
Grecian poet : — 



292 THE CROSS. 

" Alas ! the tender herbs, and fiow'ry tribes, 
Though crushed by Winter's unrelenting hand, 
Eevive and rise when vernal zephyrs call. 
But we, the brave, the mighty, and the wise, 
Bloom, flourish, fade, and fall, — and then succeeds 
A long, long silent, dark, oblivious sleep ; 
A sleep which no propitious power dispels, 
Nor changing seasons, nor revolving years." 

The people of Pompeii lived and passed away in an age 
when the doctrine of the immortality of the soul was without 
support or credibility. But the sign of the Cross, planted in 
the numerous cemeteries beyond its walls, told me that the 
generations which had succeeded them had gone down to 
their graves in the full possession of its consolations. 

In the book of the Acts we read that St. Paul, on his 
voyage to Italy, touched at Bhegium and then sailed for 
Puteoli, now called Pozzuoli, where he tarried seven days, 
and afterwards proceeded to Rome. The natives of Pozzuoli 
point out the spot where, according to tradition, the apostle 
landed, and continue to this day to speak of his visit in their 
every day conversation. This old town is full of ruins, and is 
only a short distance from Baise, Cumse, and the Elysian 
Fields of Virgil. On the high ground I contemplated with 
much interest an old tempest-beaten chmch. Its Cross, 
which had braved the elements for many centuries, had lost 
its upright position, and hung quivering in the breeze like a 
broken plume in a soldier's cap. 

The Capitol of Rome is inland, and rests on the banks of 
the Tiber, about sixteen miles from its mouth. The captain 
of the American brig Hollander told me that he could see 



THE CKOSS. 293 

the dome, and the Cross of the Cathedral of St. Peter, 
from the deck of his vessel as he sailed along the Italian 
coast. 

Of all the cities of the world (says Doctor Donovan), 
Rome alone boasts the obelisks of Egypt, and in Rome alone 
do these interesting monuments of past ages form appropriate 
ornaments, connecting the beauty of the modern with the 
power and magnificence of the ancient city ; originally des- 
tined to perpetuate the memory of Egyptian Kings, they 
were brought hither to eternize the victories and conquests of 
Roman Emperors, were overthrown by invading barbarians, Pa- 
gan and Christian, and have been re-erected to the embellish- 
ment of modern Rome and the glory of her pontiffs. Twelve 
are now standing within the city walls, and the emblem of 
the Cross crowns each. Some of them stood erect more than 
1500 years before Caesar set foot on the soil of Britain, or a 
thousand years before Rome was founded by Romulus, and 
centuries before Moses received the tables of the law, in 
thunder, on Sinai. They saw the Macedonian, the Grecian, 
the Carthagenian, the Persian, the Assyrian, and the Egyp- 
tian Empires, pass away : — in a word, more than five and 
thirty centuries have completed their course, since they first 
arose, in majesty upon the earth. 

The Coliseum of Rome was dedicated ten years after the 
destruction of Jerusalem, and has no equal on the globe. It 
can seat one hundred thousand persons. Under Titus it 
served for a gladiatorial circus ; under Domitian, for an arena 
of martyrs; in the middle ages for a military post, and at 
this day is devoted to the service of religion. Its sides and 



294 THE CROSS. 

arches are perfumed -with wall flowers, and other fragrant 
plants, and the botanist may find employment for days in 
their classification. Professor Sebastiani some years ago pub- 
lished, with engravings, a quarto volume under the title of 
" Flora Colossea," in which no fewer than two hundred and 
sixty different species are enumerated. The largest Cross I 
saw in Italy is planted in the centre of this vast amphitheatre. 
It is composed of beams of timber, and towers, with its 
gigantic arms, to a very lofty elevation. Penitents and pil- 
grims may be seen at all hours kneeling in prayer at the foot 
of this crucifix. 

The tower of the Capitol at Rome is crowned with the 
statue of Christianity holding the Cross. 

The bridge of Saint Angelo arches over the Tiber, and is 
one of the finest in the city. It is embellished with ten 
sculptured figures of angels holding the instruments of the 
Passion. Among the chief figures one holds the crown of 
thorns, another the spear, another the spikes, and another the 
Cross. 

The great cathedrals of Italy are uniformly of a cruci- 
form shape. Never did the figure of the Cross appear so 
grand and sublime as when I looked down from the cupola 
of the Cathedral of Saint Peter, and traced its bold outlines 
in the colossal proportions of that extraordinary temple. The 
sight sent a thrill of rapture through every nerve in my 
body. 

At Sorrento, the birth-place of Tasso, the stores are closed 
at a very early hour, and the people very speedily retire to 
their repose. No lamps are hung in the streets, and whoever 



THE CROSS. 295 

has occasion to go out after dark must provide himself with 
a lantern to direct his steps. One night I went out for a 
walk, and it was the most solemn walk I ever took. The 
darkness was very intense, and rendered still more palpable 
by the occasional glimmering of a dying taper, flickering 
before a crucifix in the gloomy niche of some old wall. By 
following the sound of the waves I at last reached the sea- 
shore, and as I approached its surfy borders, the first object 
that caught my eye, was a majestic Cross, bearing above the 
rocks a bright beacon-light for the government of the mari- 
ners of the coast. 

The city of Alessandria is situated on the verge of the 
battle-field of Marengo. Its Cathedral is very spacious, and 
is dedicated to the " Apostolorum Principi " (the chief of the 
Apostles). Near the door is a colossal bronze figure of the 
Redeemer in his expiring agony upon the Cross : it is one of 
the most remarkable things of the kind that I ever saw. It 
occupies a dark alcove, and a lamp burns at all hours before 
it. An effective view of the city of Jerusalem is seen in the 
distance. The body of the Saviour is of a bronzed or 
Ethiopian hue, but the feet have become so bright and 
polished from the numerous touches of lips that have pressed 
and kissed them, that they shine like gold. While I looked 
upon the Cross, a female with a veil upon her head approached 
and kneeled at the foot of the crucifix, and worshipped. 
When I beheld her, I thought of the record of "Mary" at 
the Saviour's feet. 

The citizens of Turin have a special reverence for the 
memory of Saint John the Evangelist, and celebrate his 



296 THE OKOSS. 

birth-day with much splendor. On Saint John's eve, the 
immense square before the King's palace is devoted to the 
assemblage of the military, and to a bonfire illumination. I 
was present on one of these occasions, and remained until the 
end of the display. The quantity of combustible things 
heaped together to sustain the illumination was unusually 
ample, and formed a pile that resembled a mountain in our 
midst. After a military salute, the torch was applied to the 
pile, and the flames quickly ascended in triumph among the 
clouds. The illumination lasted until it had levelled the pile 
to ashes, when a tall Cross of solid iron was exposed 
to view, as the only surviving trophy of the conflagration. 

The battle-field of Novara has been called the " Waterloo 
of Italy." Here Charles Albert was vanquished, abdicated 
his crown and fled, to die an exile in Oporto. In walking- 
over this field, I found it thickly set with Crosses, in memory 
of the slain. 

The city of Genoa has the honor of being the birth- 
place of Christopher Columbus. A few years ago the 
Genoese laid the foundation of a noble monument in their 
chief square to commemorate his worth. The revolutions, 
however, which broke out soon afterward, arrested the prose- 
cution of the undertaking, and the builders, when they sus- 
pended their labors, capped its unfinished summit with the 
Cross. 

In the window of a bookstore I noticed a picture that 
pleased me very much. It was entitled " Guided by the 
Eagle," and represented ISTapoleon crossing the Alps, mounted 
on a mule, wrapped in his blue Marengo mantle, and attended 



THE CROSS. 297 

by an Alpine peasant. In the distance could be seen the 
bushy caps of the grenadiers, and in the heavens the " Bird 
of Destiny " hovering over the head of the hero. Over this 
bleak expanse the only landmarks visible to the eye were 
Crosses covered with snow. 

In a graveyard I stood over a grave verdured in the form 
of a Cross, and upon the tombstone was cut the same emblem 
covered with tears. These tears were cut deep into the stone 
and produced a very strange effect. 

At Castellamare I visited the navy-yard of the King ot 
Naples, and noticed two frigates of the second class upon the 
stocks. On the stems of both vessels were fastened small 
wooden Crosses colored red. As soon as the keel of a 
vessel is laid on Italian ground, her builders give her the 
Cross. 

The island of Elba was once a place of exile for the 
Emperor Napoleon, and Porto Ferrajo was his capital. In 
looking at the vessels on the stocks in this port I noticed a 
brig with a Cross of wood upon her bow, gracefully entwined 
with a branch of palm, (the peaceful palm !) and when I 
turned my eye to the granite lighthouse, a single figure arose 
above its cone, and it was the Cross. 

Occasionally, around this favorite emblem mottoes are 
legible ; written, most generally, in Latin. For example : 

Ecce Signum — Behold the sign. 
In hoc signo vinces — In this sign thou shalt conquer. 
Cruci dum spiro lido — Whilst I breathe I trust in the cross. 
In hoc signo spes mea — In this sign is my hope. 



298 THE CROSS. 

The largest Italian harbor on the Mediterranean is called 
Spezzia. It is the naval rendezvous of all nations. One 
Sabbath afternoon as I surveyed this spacious haven, I recog- 
nized in the distance the French line-of-battle ship Sovereign, 
with her colors at half mast, and was informed that she had 
lost one of her mariners, and that his funeral was about to 
take place. In a few moments two barges with muffled oars 
pushed off for the shore, one of which contained the body. 
The box in which the body was inclosed was wrapped in 
the folds of the tri-color flag and enveloped again in an ample 
black banner, with a white Cross in the centre. As soon as 
it was landed, the French consul in full uniform, and the 
parish priest attended by a Cross-bearer/advanced to receive 
it, and forming a procession accompanied it with funeral cere- 
monies to the tomb. 

The pulpits of Italy have a tall metallic or wooden Cross 
planted at the side of the desk with the figure of the Cruci- 
fied upon it, so that both preacher and people have the image 
of redemption always before them. Upon a pulpit at Ver- 
celli, in the church of Saint Christopher, I noticed the figure 
of Christ on the Cross, and a strong angel at the foot in a 
kneeling attitude, supporting it. This piece of work was 
carved in the most elaborate manner out of solid oak. In a 
pulpit in a church in Milan I observed a similar design, sup- 
ported by clouds of angels, wrought also out of wood. 

In journeying from Rome to Florence I remarked hus- 
bandmen harvesting their crops, and putting the emblem of 
the Cross upon their barns and haystacks. 

In one of the cities I noticed the figure of the Cross en- 



THE CROSS. 299 

twined with the grape-vine and wheat, figurative of the ele- 
ments of the last supper. In another city I observed a 
crucifix with an anchor (the emblem of hope) fastened to it 
by a chain. 

At Venice, I saw a Cross planted in the sea. In the 
church of Saint Giorgio, in the same city, I was shown a 
crucifix made of olive-wood from the Holy Land. In looking 
at the parlor mirror of a Venetian family, I perceived that it 
had a full-length Cross ground on the glass in a very remark- 
able manner. What lady could dress herself before such a 
mirror ? In the house where I staid, the mistress lit her hall 
with an illuminated crucifix. In the Cathedral of Saint Mark 
I admired a massive lamp of extraordinary beauty in the 
form of a double Cross. In the city of Milan I remember to 
have seen a most singular and original picture. It represent- 
ed our Lord upon the Cross, surrounded by angels with cups 
of ministration ; at the foot of the Cross the artist had intro- 
duced two skulls, one marked Adam and the other Eve — the 
meaning of this was significant enough ; those two heads 
had ruined the world, and involved the death of the Messiah 
as the ransom for its redemption. In the saloon of the king's 
palace at Turin my attention was called to a representation 
in ivory of the infant Redeemer sleeping upon a Cross, and 
in his slumber grasping a crown of thorns ; around the cru- 
cifix that formed his bed were seen the instruments of his 
Passion : the hammer, spear, scourge, spikes, pincers, and 
ladder. The Pitti palace at Florence contains a painting of 
the same description, which invariably commands more than 
ordinary consideration. 



300 THE CROSS. 

During the revolution, the national standard was the tri- 
color of green, white, and red ; and on the occasion of any 
important victory, I have seen this flag bound to the Crosses 
of the church-towers. The emblems of liberty and Chris- 
tianity were there united together. In connection with those 
triumphs I once copied a motto of much force ; it read 
thus : 

" Una spada in libero mano 
E saetta di Giove tonante." 

A sword in a free hand 
Is Jove's thunderbolt. 

I beheld a Cross on the brow of Mount Vesuvius. 

In Italy the crucifix is the first object put into the hands 
of a child, and it wears this figure upon its neck as an amu- 
let. At the marriage altar the nuptial rings have the same 
image engraven upon them. At the funeral it is seen again, 
and finally upon the tomb. From the cradle to the grave it 
is the daily emblem of the people. 

In approaching a city, town, or hamlet of Italy, the first 
object seen in the sky is the Cross ; it gleams upon the ban- 
ners of her armies, and glistens upon the breasts of her 
soldiers ; it rises upon the pinnacles of her towers, and looms 
upon the moonsail-masts of her navies. 

The earth is full of misery, and sin was the cause of its 
introduction, and notwithstanding all the equivocations of in- 
fidelity and philosophy, the Gospel is the only system that 
provides a remedy for the evil. In our present condition we 



THE CROSS. 301 

are at best prisoners ; but we are prisoners of hope ; and our 
hopes are infinite. 

I have been a wanderer among some of the most remark- 
able cities of antiquity. I have seen something of departed 
glory, and something of living glory also ; something of the 
magnificence of Kings and of the pomp of thrones, and I 
feel more and more convinced that this world was never in- 
tended to satisfy the boundless aspirations of the immortal 
spirit. 

Again and again have I, while rambling among the old 
convents and temples of Italy, discovered aged men, reading, 
and musing upon the time-worn tablets of departed genera- 
tions ; they appeared absorbed in the most gloomy medita- 
tions, but when I directed their attention to the consolations 
of the resurrection, and pointing to the Heavens, told them 
that we should live again, crystal tears would sparkle in their 
eyes as they responded, with devotional emotion, " Lo Spe- 
riamo :" We hope so. 

The tragedy of Calvary is without a parallel. In this 
transaction, " Deity was, so to speak, humanified to suffer ; 
and humanity deified, to atone ;" and the victim was 

" nailed to the cross 
By his own nation ; slain for bringing life." 

From the pavement of Pilate he is seen bearing his own 

Cross through the streets of Jerusalem, until, sinking under 

its burden, one Simon, of Cyrene, was compelled by the 

crowd to bear it up the hill. " We pause to ask," exclaims 

13 



302 THE CEOSS. 

the eloquent Bascom, " was this compulsion, think you, ever 
regretted by him of Cyrene?" At length the crucifixion 
takes place, and some of them that passed by said : " He 
saved others, himself he cannot save. If he be the King of 
Israel, let him now come down from the Cross, and we will 
believe him." "If he had," says Whitefield, " what would 
have become of us V Finally, when he had cried with a 
loud voice, he yielded up the ghost. The spirit of a Caesar, 
and a Cicero, and other mighty men of antiquity, had de- 
parted, without the attendance of any extraordinary phenom- 
ena, but when the Messiah died, the frame of the universe 
trembled to the centre. " And behold, jthe vail of the temple 
was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom ; and the earth 
did quake, and the rocks rent ; and the graves were opened ; 
and many bodies of the saints which slept, arose, and came 
out of the graves and went into the holy city, and appeared 
unto many." No wonder that a heathen eye-witness of these 
things should exclaim with emphasis, " Either the God of 
nature suffers, or the world is coming to an end." The sun 
was eclipsed at noonday, and the darkness was not local, but 
general, and was observed by an Egyptian astronomer in the 
city of Heliopolis, where Plato and Herodotus pursued the 
study of philosophy. 

The victory, however, of the king of terrors over his illus- 
trious captive, was only temporary. On the morning of the 
third day there was a panic in the empire of mortality. For 
the Son of Man arose in triumph from the tomb, and as he 
rose, 

" Against the Cross, Death's iron sceptre broke." 



THE CROSS. 803 

The tidings of his resurrection went forth from Jerusalem 
to the ends of the earth ; and the hopes of humanity re- 
vived. " Since that event," says Leighton, " the desponding 
Christian in every land turns to the Cross, as surely as the 
needle turns to the pole, even though like the needle he turns 
trembling." 



CHAPTEB XXXVII. 

Paris is one of the most extraordinary places in the world. 
I arrived in this imperial city at midnight, and found quarters 
in the " Place Vendome," one of the most magnificent 
squares within its walls. Within this square is contained the 
celebrated column erected by Napoleon to commemorate the 
campaign of Austerlitz. This column is in imitation of the 
pillar of Trajan at Rome. Its total elevation is 135 feet. 
The metal in it weighs about 360,000 pounds. The bass- 
reliefs of the shaft pursue a spiral direction to the capital, and 
display, in chronological order, the principal actions, from the 
departure of the troops from Boulogne, to the battle of Aus- 
terlitz. The figures are three feet high, then number is said 
to be 2,000, and the length of this spiral scroll is 840 feet. 
The capital is surmounted by an acroterium, upon which 
stands a statue of Napoleon. The total cost of this column 
is estimated at $300,000. 

The room I occupy in the Place Vendome is the highest 
in the building. It is in fact a kind of observatory. It is so 
high that it commands a sweeping view of the horizon, and I 



PARIS. 305 

enjoy fresh pleasure every time that I look out upon the 
prospect it affords. The colossal figure of Napoleon, which 
crowns the Vendome column, faces my window, and from 
my bed I can look upon the majestic effigy of this great man 
at all times. The roar of the countless equipages that roll 
by this monument is absolutely overpowering. The din 
reminds me of the cataract of Niagara. The confusion is so 
great that it prevents me from sleeping. 

Paris in every respect exceeds my expectations. I had 
read and heard much of this great city, but the reality puts 
all description at defiance. Rome, Naples, Milan, and Venice, 
astonished me ; but Paris did more, it stupefied me. Paris 
is as sublime and inexhaustible as the ocean. It has trea- 
sures sufficient to tax the powers of the loftiest intellect that 
ever swayed the sceptre of thought. To look at all the 
monuments and wonders in this great city, it is needful to 
have a robust constitution and nerves of iron. There is work 
enough for a horse, merely to travel over the ground of this 
vast capital, and as to mental labor, the mind might find 
constant occupation for ages. As to the palaces and gardens 
of the Tuileries and the Luxembourg, and the Garden of 
Plants, the Louvre, the Champs Elysees, and the Arc de 
Triomphe, it would be perfect folly to seek for figures to serve 
for their illustration. Man appears in Paris to have done 
enough to astonish earth and Heaven together. No wonder 
that Napoleon felt uneasy and restless in Elba and St. Helena. 
In such insignificant places there was nothing for the occupa- 
tion of his powers. He had nothing to do. 

The tri-color flag is suspended daily from all the public 



306 PARIS. 

buildings. France has a passionate attachment for the tri- 
color flag. 

"When Athens was in her glory, a Grecian philosopher 
was asked what he thought of that great capital ; he replied 
that he thought it a very fine place to pass through, but a 
very dangerous place to dwell in. During nay stay in Paris, 
I have more than a hundred times felt the force and applica- 
tion of this sentiment, in reference to the seductions and 
fascinations of the French metropolis. 

Yesterday I visited the house occupied by Bonaparte in 
Rue de la Victoire, No. 52, whither he removed on his mar- 
riage with Josephine. From this mansion he took his depar- 
ture to assume the command of the army of Italy, and on the 
5th December, 1*797, returned to it, his arrival at Paris being 
preceded b}^ 170 standards, 550 pieces of cannon, and 
60,000,000 francs remitted to the state. Here he received 
his appointment to the command of the expedition to Egypt, 
and from this mansion, on his return, emanated those coun- 
sels and ■ intrigues which led to the Revolution of the 1 8th 
Brumaire and to his dictatorship. It is a very plain building, 
and is situated in a narrow street in the most retired and 
silent section of the city. 

I was recently much gratified in visiting an exhibition 
which, among other things, contained the caleche used by 
Bonaparte in the island of St. Helena, together with a model 
of Longwood, and the door of the chamber in which he 
expired. The carriage is a plain yellow painted vehicle, lined 
with coarse green cloth, and might very readily pass for the 
family carriage of a country gentleman. 



PARIS. 307 

On the boulevards I noticed some students smoking 
young leafless sapling trees, which they carried in their hands. 
It puzzled me at first to find out where they kept their fire, 
but I at last found it at the tops of the trees, four or five feet 
above their heads. Their cigars or pipes were burning at the 
extremity above, while a branch below entered the mouth 
and maintained the communication. The trees were of 
course bored. The spectacle attracted much attention. 

The Institution for the Blind contains about 240 pupils. 
There were printers and compositors in the institution, who, 
with sightless eyes, pursued their delicate operations. 

I visited the church of St. Germain l'Auxerrois. It was 
from the belfry of this church that the fatal signal was given 
and responded to from the Palais de Justice, for the com- 
mencement of the massacre on the eve of the festival of St. 
Bartholomew, August 23 d, 1572 ; the bells of this church 
tolled during the whole of that dreadful night. It was once 
one of the most sumptuous churches in Paris, but at present 
it appears neglected and impoverished. Its windows of 
stained glass are much admired. 

On my way thither I noticed a sign, with a painting of a 
dog and cat as large as life, and under the figures of the 
animals read as follows — "Dogs and cats sheared and 
.trimmed, as well as provided for and boarded, on reasonable 
terms." 

Continuing my course, I passed a large stone bridge 
called the " Pont Neuf," and here I saw a large number of 
bathing establishments, all moored by the bridge. Some of 
them were of immense size. They had pipes for the emis- 



308 FAEIS. 

sion of smoke, because they furnished hot, as well as cold 
baths. Some of these barges were two stories high ; they 
looked like the double deckers on the Mississippi. Some had 
gardens on board, and the smoke pipes of several were 
fashioned so as to resemble the stately African palm. These 
iron trees, with smoke issuing from their tops, had a singular 
appearance. 

I entered the " Morgue? a plain small Doric building on 
the Seine, where dead bodies found in the streets, or river, 
are exposed for recognition. There were two bodies waiting 
for identification ; they were entirely naked, save a piece of 
black leather covering the loins. A jet of water was continu- 
ally falling upon them to preserve them from decomposition. 
They looked as natural as if sleeping. The flag-staff over the 
door of the building was without a banner. A narrow piece 
of black crape, tied upon the middle of the staff, indicated 
the house to be a place of mourning. 

"Notre Dame" disappointed me. It appeared to be 
nothing but a barren mountain of solid rock. It is an im- 
mense temple, it is true, but very meagrely embellished. Its 
interior, compared with the cathedrals of Italy, is as naked as- 
a cavern. I noticed a wedding going on at one of the altars ; 
at another altar I noticed the baptism of an infant, and in the 
grand aisle beheld a funeral. Three of the most important 
stages of human life exemplified together. 

At the marriage ceremony, I remarked that, during a 
part of the functions, two clerks held a piece of tapestry over 
the heads of the couple at the altar. I inquired what this 
signified, and was informed that it was a figure introduced 



PARIS. 309 

to show that both parties were henceforth to reside under the 
same roof. 

I looked in at the St. Eustache church, which is next in 
size to Notre Dame, and noticed near the altar a large pine 
tree in a flourishing condition. In several churches in Paris 
they have introduced plants and flowers for purposes of em- 
bellishment. In the churches of Italy beds of flowers are 
sometimes cultivated before the altars. At the church of St. 
Roch I remarked the tomb of the Abbe de l'Epee, the founder 
of the institution for the Deaf and Dumb. On this monu- 
ment were sculptured the signs of the mutes. These charac- 
ters appeared somewhat odd in such a place. At the church 
of St. Etienne du Mont, I observed lustral vases for holy 
water at the door. In lieu of basins of marble, marine shells 
of extraordinary size were employed for that purpose. 

Opposite this church I regarded the sign of a dyer, who 
announced that he could put a whole family in mourning at 
twelve hours' notice. 

Among the numerous tombs at the Pantheon that of 
Rousseau particularly arrested my attention. From the half- 
opened door of this tomb, issued a naked arm holding a 
flaming torch. 

Victor Hugo, in one of his addresses before the National 
Assembly, styled Paris the brain of France. 

The other day at a book-stand, I stopped to examine a- 
collection of engravings. I asked the boy if he had one of 
the " Final Judgment." He replied in the affirmative and 
soon produced it for examination. As a work of art it was 
admirably executed. It was on a large scale, and contained 
13* 



310 PAEIS. 

an extraordinary number of figures. On the right 
were grouped all the different classes of men, the most dis- 
tinguished of each being marked by name and portrait. 
Kings were introduced, Louis XIV., Charlemagne, Francis I. 
and Henry IV., occupied conspicuous positions. Pontiffs and 
statesmen were also favorably represented; then came the 
great military men who had rilled the world with their fame. 
Not finding Bonaparte in their company, I asked the boy 
why he had been omitted. " Because," answered the boy, 
" the engraving was published before he was born." 

From the excessive number of coffee-houses and restau- 
rants in Paiis, a stranger would suppose that half the people 
got their living in those professions. Some of these establish- 
ments have all the magnificence of palaces. 

In the " Bibliotheque Rationale," may be seen a volume 
of 300 pages, containing the names of all the victims of 
Kobespierre ; also autograph letters of Franklin, Louis XIV., 
Turenne, Moliere, Henry IV., and many other illustrious men. 

The Hippodrome will contain about 10,000 persons. 
The arena is uncovered. Equestrian exhibitions are con- 
ducted in this place on a grand scale. Sometimes thirty 
horses may be seen in full career, under the management of 
one rider. Monsieur Poitevin, the aeronaut, has frequently 
ascended from this arena on horseback. 

The Palace of Versailles, situated in the environs of Paris, 
is one of the most stupendous structures in existence. It was 
commenced by Louis XIV. More than 30,000 soldiers were 
more than once simultaneously employed upon the work. 
The cost of the whole concern is estimated at two hundred 



PARIS. 311 

millions of dollars. It was designed for the olympus of a 
monarch, and for the accommodation of a population of cour- 
tiers. Even the Royal horses were lodged in a palace. The 
Palace of Versailles is now a national museum. It is the 
treasury of the glory of France. Its destination has been 
changed to suit the spirit of the age. Its galleries are full of 
historical paintings, many of which are upon a grand scale. 
Several days would be needful to make even a superficial 
examination of these extensive saloons. One saloon contains 
the statues and busts of marshals and generals killed in 
fighting for France; another the portraits of all her most 
celebrated warriors. I noticed the portrait of " Joan of Arc " 
among th number, likewise a full-length painting of General 
Lafayette. The old General is habited in the simplest 
uniform that ever graced the person of a soldier. While all 
the other heroes are glittering with gold and silver, and 
decorated with stars and crosses, Lafayette stands among 
them dressed with the simplicity of a Washington. He 
wears merely a plain blue coat with a single row of silver 
buttons, a pair of epaulettes, and a three-cornered hat, with 
a tri-color cockade. His pantaloons are blue, ani 5 without a 
stripe. 

A full-length painting of Count Rochambeau attracted 
my attention. Upon a table at his side are several maps and 
plans, upon one of which the word Yorktown stands forth 
in characters highly conspicuous. Many apartments are 
filled with paintings of the battles and campaigns of Napo- 
leon. The Hall of Marengo astonished me beyond all ex- 
pectation. 



312 PAEIS. 

After passing through these brilliant galleries, dedicated 
to the commemoration of military glory, no young man can 
fail to experience an irresistible inclination to embrace the 
profession of a soldier. France is not ungrateful to those who 
have served her with fidelity, or contributed to render her 
name illustrious in the congress of nations ; but, after all, it 
must be confessed that she loves her generals best. They 
are her favorites, and statues, columns, arches, and pyramids, 
every where cherish their memory, and proclaim the path 
of war to be, in France, the high road to honor and immor- 
tality. 

There are four Protestant Episcopal congregations in Paris. 
The principal church is in the Rue d'Aguesseau. It contains 
a large and handsome gallery for the use of the British am- 
bassador and family. The church will hold about eight 
hundred persons. It has a small belfry and a bell. The 
services on Sundays are at half-past 11, and 4 o'clock. The 
terms of admission are one franc per head. Officers are 
stationed at the door, who collect the franc as you enter, and 
deliver you a ticket for the seat you are to occupy. For half 
an hour before the service begins you can hear nothing but 
the bustle incidental to the buying and dispensing of tickets. 
Over and over again you hear the cry, " Gentlemen, a franc 
if you please !" " Ladies, a franc apiece !" 

As I looked at the scene outside, and noticed the car- 
riages arriving, the policemen with their swords, and cocked 
hats, and the people thickening around the door, and buying 
their tickets, it put me in mind of a railroad station. After 
observing things outside, I went in, and there were all the 



PARIS. 313 

passengers sitting in regular order, in their allotted places, 
holding their tickets firmly in their hands, which if they 
should lose, they would run the risk of losing their seats, or 
of submitting to the alternative of paying over again. From 
the fact that the church was under the influence of the 
British Embassy, I expected to see the services conducted by 
ministers of distinguished talents, but in this respect I was 
greatly disappointed. There were two ministers employed ; 
one apparently to help the other. The reading of the 
Episcopalian service was performed in a very sleepy manner, 
and as to the sermon, it was absolutely still more so. Both 
ministers read and spoke as if they were engaged in a business 
in which they felt neither sympathy nor interest. The whole 
operation appeared to me to be about as dull as travelling in 
a railroad car in the night time. 

All the governments of Europe have large standing 
armies. These old countries swarm with soldiers ; not only 
are capitals and sea-ports garrisoned and fortified, but even 
the hamlets and inland towns frown with castles and military 
towers. In Europe they make even the horses soldiers. In 
periods of emergency every able-bodied horse of a certain 
age is liable to do military duty. The horses make good 
soldiers in war. Throughout the late campaigns these brave 
animals covered themselves with glory. In Austria I lately 
saw large bodies of horses receive an honorable discharge 
from the Imperial army ; most of them had been wounded in 
the service, or had contracted chronic affections which unfitted 
them for the arduous duties of military life. They were 
consequently directed to return to their former occupations. 



314 PAKIS. 

In the late campaign for the reduction of Venice, the 
Emperor commanded that all the cavalry should remain on 
the main land, and forego any active part in assault. The 
horses at first heard of this command with feelings of surprise 
and indignation, and it was not until Marshal Radetzky and 
General Kollowrath explained to them the geographical situ- 
ation of Venice, and demonstrated that it was a city in the 
sea, belted with waters, and permeated with innumerable 
canals, that there was absolutely no ground for them to fight 
upon, and that such considerations alone had influenced the 
adoption of the objectionable order, that the noble animals 
could be brought to acknowledge the wisdom of the prohibi- 
tion. Venice was taken without the aid of a horse. 

France contains seven hundred and eighty cities, and 
forty-one thousand towns and villages. Paris has one street 
called after Lafayette, another after Washington, and another 
after Franklin. The celebrated cemetery of Pere la Chaise 
is situated a short distance outside of the walls of the city. 
The gateway is adorned with funeral ornaments, and has the 
following quotation in Latin from the Scripture. " He that 
believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live." 
Since the establishment of the Republic the words " Liberty, 
Equality, and Fraternity " have been affixed. Pere la Chaise 
may truly be called a city of sepulchres, a city of the dead ; 
the Pompeii of France. Although only commenced in 1 804, 
it already contains a population equal to half the population 
of Paris. ("How populous is the grave!") It contains 
streets regularly paved with monumental habitations on both 
sides. Its present extent is nearly one hundred acres. The 



PARIS. 315 

tomb of Abelard and Heloise attracts much attention. It 
also contains the tombs of illustrious personages of every pro- 
fession, such as Cambaceres, Casimir Perier, Decres, Lebedo- 
yere, Monge, Gall, Volney, Moliere, La Fontaine, Bernardin 
de St. Pierre, Talma, La Place, Sydney Smith, Poisson Ra- 
cine, De Genlis, Laffitte, Demidoff, Ney, Suchet, Macdonald, 
St. Cyr, Davoust, Mortier, Junot, Massena, Kellermann, Le- 
febvre, Serrurier, &c. It is calculated that not less than 
twenty millions of dollars have been expended in this ceme- 
tery in the erection of monuments. Every visitor inquires 
for the tomb of Ney. A few years ago the tomb of the 
" bravest of the brave " was only covered with grass. It is 
now inclosed with an ample iron railing, and is shaded with 
cypress trees and rose-bushes, and embellished with a bed of 
choice flowers and vines. No monument or tablet has to this 
date been erected to his memory, but I am happy to say that 
France has lately charged a distinguished sculptor to supply 
this deficiency. The inscriptions upon the monuments of the 
French marshals, are remarkable for their brevity and sim- 
plicity. The monument of Marshal Massena, Prince d'Essling, 
is a pyramid of white marble, twenty-one feet high. The 
words upon it are " Massena — Rivoli, Zurich, Genoa, Essling." 
That of Marshal Kellermann is equally as simple, and reads, 
" Kellermann — Valmy, Marengo." The cemetery is thronged 
every day with companies of females, bearing wreaths and 
garlands for the decoration of the tombs of their kin- 
dred. 

I shall never forget my first impressions in visiting this 
vast cemetery. For nearly a mile before I reached its en- 



816 PAEIS. 

trance, I saw nothing but tombs, tombstones, columns, crowns, 
crosses, and sepulchral paraphernalia of every description in 
readiness for disposition. The road was crowded with 
vehicles and travellers, all wending their course in the same 
direction. Hearses, horses, and carriages, all mixed up 
together. The general appearance of these things reminded 
me of the scattered wrecks of the Moscow retreat. 

At last I reached Pere la Chaise. And now I felt as if I 
was in the midst of the grand army itself, after its fatal pas- 
sage of the Beresina. I was surrounded by (as near as I 
could estimate) the relics of at least five hundred thousand 
people. I was standing among a numerous staff of the most 
distinguished marshals of the French Empire. Here were 
Ney, Massena, St. Cyr, Macdonald, Mortier, Victor, Junot, 
Davoust, Suchet, Lefebvre, and others, all bivouacking to- 
gether. 

The commanding character of my position embraced an 
extensive range of observation. On the right my eye caught 
the towering dome of the " Invalides," where Napoleon him- 
self had pitched his last encampment with Jourdan, Bertrand, 
and Duroc, at his side. On the left I recognized the " Pan- 
theon," the head-quarters of Marshal Lannes, and the resi- 
due of the generals. 

There had evidently been a great battle fought. Hun- 
dreds of thousands had fallen. All the hospitals, and many 
of the habitations of the capital were crowded with the 
wounded and the dying. From certain movements in 
various directions, it was evident that the foe was still in hot 
pursuit. His advanced guard was on the inarch, and 



PARIS. 317 

paused not an instant in its course. His colors were flying, 
and every thing indicated a determination on the part of the 
conqueror to grant no quarter to the vanquished. Upon his 
broad ensign, which was of a deep black hue, were displayed 
in startling relief, a couple of cross bones, surmounted by a 
human skull. 

I demanded the name of the leader of the battalions of 
the enemy, and was answered DEATH ! 



CHAPTEK XXXVIH. 

ct)B fb)b of mmin. • 

This celebrated field lies about twelve miles distant from 
Brussels, the capital of Belgium, and has probably been 
visited by more people than any other battle-field in the 
world. 

The road conducting to it is rather a hard road for a horse 
to travel, and is paved with large rough square stones, with 
wide instertices between them. The forest of Soignes is 
passed on the route. This forest covers an immense extent 
of country, and was intended by Bonaparte to serve for the 
humiliation of the naval power of England; it was to be 
the source of supply of ship timber, for the creation of a 
French fleet at Antwerp, and several ships of the line had 
already been built from it. 

The village of Waterloo is a plain, rustic place, with 
nothing staking in its appearance. It contains a population 
of about 1900 souls. In the little church may be seen 
about thirty monuments, and tablets, in memory of fallen 
English officers. Very near the church stands the house 
which served as the head-quarters of the Duke of Wellington 



THE FIELD OF WATEELOO. 319 

In it may be seen the table upon which he supped on the 
evening before the battle, and upon which he the next day 
wrote the dispatch announcing to his government the 
intelligence of the victory gained over the French ; also the 
pencil which he used, and the boot worn by the Marquis 
of Anglesey at the time he suffered the amputation of his 
leg. 

About a mile v i)eyond the village of Waterloo is the little 
village of Mont Saint Jean ; originally these two villages were 
quite separated from each other, but they are now almost 
united. This village is on the very edge of the field, and on 
this account, the French at first called the battle by its name, 
but soon after abandoned it for the more popular name of 
Waterloo. I inquired why the name of Mount Saint Jean; 
was applied to the village referred to, and was answered, 
because the ground on which it stood was more elevated than 
any intervening site between the battle-field and Brussels. 
At this place guides may at all times be found in readiness 
to accompany visitors over the field, and point out and explain 
the localities most worthy of observation. Edward Cotton, 
the late English guide, served as a sergeant-major in the bat- 
tle, and afterwards resided fifteen years upon the field. He 
died but a short time ago, and was buried at his special 
request, upon the ground where he had fought, and so long- 
dwelt. This old soldier was accustomed to pass all his 
leisure time in the studious perusal of the various accounts of 
the military operations of 1815, and just before his death 
completed and published a very useful book, entitled a 
" Voice from Waterloo," with maps and plates. 



320 THE FIELD OF WATEELOO. 

This volume is full of interest, and contains many things 
not embraced in the works of standard authors upon the 
subject. But the undue partiality of the author for his 
countiy, and her glory, has so Anglicised his statements as to 
limit the sale and circulation of the work, almost exclusively 
to his own countrymen. He is, nevertheless, entitled to much 
credit for his labors ; no man ever studied the ground more 
carefully than he did, or took a greater interest in the collec- 
tion of information tending to illustrate the battle. In the 
course of his long residence upon the field, he was called to 
pass over it as a guide to many distinguished officers who had 
taken part in the action, and never failed to glean from them 
all that they knew, or remembered, upon the subject. His 
map of the field, and position of the respective armies on the 
day of action, is the best extant, and may be depended upon. 
He is also entitled to considerable praise for the collection of 
a valuable library and military cabinet, which still remain at 
his late residence for the use of visitors, without cost. The 
following highly finished engravings adorn the walls : — 

"Napoleon," "Wellington," "Blucher," " Wellington and 
Napoleon at Waterloo," " The Waterloo Banquet," " Sir J. 
Kempt," " Battle of Waterloo," " Capture of an Eagle," " The 
Prince of Orange wounded ;" medallion portraits of " Napo- 
leon," " Wellington," " Blucher," " King of the Netherlands," 
"Lord Hill," "Anglesey," "Sir Thomas Picton," "Marshals 
Ney and Soult ;" " General Cambronne," " General view of 
the Field," " View of Hougomont," plans showing different 
periods of the battles of Ligny, Quatre-Bras, Waterloo, and 
Wavre; autographs of Napoleon, Wellington, Anglesey, 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 321 

Grouchy, Vivian, and many others, besides an extensive col- 
lection of relics and spoils gathered from the field, embracing 
arms, cuirasses, casques, caps, clothing, accoutrements, mili- 
tary ornaments, trappings, gold and silver crosses of the 
Legion of Honor, and Prussian crosses and medals, several 
pieces of Napoleon's kitchen utensils, marked with the im- 
perial crown, letter N, and " Tuileries," or " Voyage," and a 
dragoon's saddle-bags, with the stains of blood still visible, 
etc. etc. 

Miss Cotton, the young lady intrusted with the charge of 
this cabinet, has been for several years a voluntary exile upon 
this lonely spot, cut off from society and religious privileges. 
Her time, however, is fully occupied by the claims of house- 
hold duties, and a natural taste for profitable studies. She 
appeared remarkably well informed in reference to the late 
military operations in Mexico, and told me with much satis- 
faction, that an American traveller had promised to send her 
the portraits of Winfield Scott, and Zachary Taylor, the two 
victorious generals in command of the forces of the United 
States in that war. 

The present English guide, and successor of Sergeant 
Cotton, is Joseph Munday, who also served in the action, and 
is perfectly familiar with the whole subject. 

The excursion from Brussels to the field of Waterloo 
occupies about eight hours, allowing three hours for the 
horses to rest, and for surveying the field ; the expense of a 
carriage for this purpose, with two horses, is four dollars, and 
a conveyance with one horse two dollars. The guide expects 
one dollar for his services in accompanying a party, which is 



322 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

only a reasonable compensation for the time, and laborious 
amount of walking necessary, in order to a thorough illustra- 
tion of the places. In the summer season the field still con- 
tinues to be thronged with visitors, chiefly English. The 
French take very little pleasure in seeing it, and very seldom 
make an excursion to it. 

The battle of Waterloo took place on Sunday, the 18th 
June, 1815. The French force consisted of probably about 
75,000 men, and the English force did not exceed it. The 
tempest which had raged with so much violence during the 
night, did not abate until the morning. The rain descended 
in torrents, succeeded as the morning advanced by a diizzling 
shower. In the early part of the night, in the midst of the 
storm, the respective armies bivouacked on the wet earth for 
rest. Bonaparte pitched his tent near the farm of Caillou, 
about five miles distant. The field where the great action 
was fought, is an open undulating plain, and on the day in 
question, was covered with splendid crops of rye, wheat, bar- 
ley, clover and oats ; some of the grain was of great height. 
Two slightly elevated semicircular ridges or slopes, rise upon 
the plain, about ha]f a mile apart, curving gently forward, 
somewhat in the form of a parenthesis. On the summit of 
one of these slopes rested the French, and on the other the 
English and allies. The English position rested upon three 
strong points of support, which may be properly called forts, 
viz., Hougomont, an old Flemish Castle, La Haye Sainte, a 
stone farmhouse, and the hamlet of Mont St. Jean itself, 
composed of buildings of stone. This position was admira- 
bly strengthened by art, and here the Duke of Wellington 



THE FIELD OF WATEELOO. 323 

determined to maintain his defence, until the arrival of the 
Prussians. The French had no supports of this nature to fall 
back upon ; the ground occupied by them, although undula- 
ting, was quite clear and open. Between nine and ten the 
Duke passed along the line of his command, and was loudly 
cheered. He was dressed in his usual field costume : white 
buckskin pantaloons, hessian boots and tassels, blue frock-coat 
with short cloak of the same color, white cravat, and sword, 
plain, low-cocked hat, without plume or ornament, to which 
was attached the large black cockade of Britain, with three 
smaller ones of Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands. In 
his right hand he carried a long telescope, drawn out ready 
for use. 

About the same time, Napoleon rode forth to review the 
French line. He was mounted on a dappled horse, and 
wore a gray surtout, with a green uniform coat, and violet- 
colored waistcoat, and pantaloons of the same; and as 
he passed along the ranks, was saluted with shouts of enthu- 
siasm. 

A few minutes after eleven, the action commenced by a 
vigorous attack on Hougomont by a body of 12,000 light 
troops under Prince Jerome. This attack, although main- 
tained at a dreadful sacrifice of life, was not productive of 
any decided result. Mont St. Jean and La Haye Sainte, 
were then assailed with great impetuosity, and the battle 
became general along the entire line. The French gained 
possession of La Haye Sainte, and retained this post for some 
time, till they were at last driven out of it by shells. Cavalry 
charges were then made against the British squares, but at 



324 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

length were abandoned by the French with great loss. It 
was now seven o'clock, and the action had lasted for eight 
hours. Napoleon had not conquered, nor had he been de- 
feated; meanwhile the Prussians had arrived in great 
strength, and were preparing to take a signal part in the 
affairs of the day. At this juncture Bonaparte determined 
to bring up his reserve, the Old Guard, and to form it in two 
columns under his own eye, near the bottom of the declivity 
of La Belle Alliance, and to put forth one desperate and final 
effort to recover his sinking fortunes. Ney led the charge : 
it failed, and Waterloo was lost. 

In this great battle the French had 246 guns on the 
field, the English 156, and the Prussians 104; making a 
total of 506. The noise of these pieces exceeded every 
thing of the kind the oldest soldiers had ever heard, and 
made the very earth to shake for miles around the field. 
After the action the gunners could hear nothing that was said 
to them. The guide pointed out a spot where during the 
heat of the firing, one of the powder tumbrils exploded, 
threw the artillerymen into the ah, and shook the horses to 
pieces. The echoes of the cannonade of this awful battle are 
said to have been heard on the southern borders of the British 
coast. Upward of 50,000 men fell in the strife ; 20,000 on 
the side of the allies, and 30,000 on the side of the French. 
The losses of this day put Europe in mourning. England 
and France wept like mothers together. A visitor who 
passed over the field on the following day, states that as he 
approached it, the first thing that struck him at a distance 
was the quantity of caps and hats strewed over the ground. 



THE FIELD OF WATEELOO. 325 

It appeared as if it had been covered with crows. The field 
itself seemed flooded with blood. The number of dead 
horses and men baffled computation. The peasantry em- 
ployed in burying the dead, generally stripped the bodies 
first, and thereby gained vast booty. The track over which 
the guard moved, and over which they fled, was still covered 
with their spoil, and marked by the traces of horses, the 
wheels of cannon, and the deeper furrows of bombs and 
shells. A thousand French lay dead on this spot, and the 
quantity of holsters, standard-holders, bridles, straps, and 
girths, denoted a fearful conflict of cavalry. The ground 
seemed quite cut to pieces with the struggling of the horses' 
feet. The well-known caps of the grenadiers of the French 
guard, lay yet in considerable numbers, with the rags of their 
uniforms, and pieces of tartan, and black ostrich feathers ; 
the plaids and plumes of Scotland. 

A peasant told me that he was at Waterloo on the battle- 
day ; he was then only seventeen, and at that time was a 
servant at the farm of La Haye Sainte, and that himself and 
three fellow servants were busy all day in making lint for 
the wounded. He afterwards assisted in burying the slain, 
and was engaged one week in putting them in their graves. 

In Brussels, all the rope-walks, convents and barracks, 
besides many private houses, were converted into hospitals for 
the wounded ; and beds, bandages, lint, and crutches, were in 
high demand. I asked an old Belgian physician to describe 
the scenes that passed under his professional observation in 
these places, and he shook his head and answered, that they 
were too heart-rending for description. 
14 



326 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

I inquired of a veteran warrior what he thought of the 
battle, he replied that it was Pandemonium on earth. 

Wherever the strife raged, the grain was not only trodden 
down, but beaten into the clay. 

A Highland sergeant left the ranks with the basket-hilt 
of his sword so bruised, that he could not get his hand out of 
it until relieved by a blacksmith ; and one of the English 
officers received twenty-four sabre woimds. 

Napoleon took for his guide on the morning of the battle, 
De Coster, a Flemish peasant, who being a veiy timid man, 
kept bending down his head upon his horse as the balls 
whistled over him, expecting every moment to be killed. The 
Emperor observing it, turned to him with a smile, and said 
" Hold yourself up, De Coster ; when you hear the cannon 
balls, they are far off from you ; when a ball comes to kill 
you, you are dead before you hear it." 

As soon as the action began, the inhabitants of Hougo- 
mont, Mont St. Jean, and Waterloo, fled to the forest of 
Soignes, where they tarried till the contest was over. Hou- 
gomont became strongly invested by the British, and all its 
inmates, with the exception of one old woman, immediately 
deserted it. She however had an idea that somebody ought 
to stay and take care of the poultry, and resolved to tarry for 
that purpose ; all entreaty to the contrary notwithstanding. 
"When the cannonade became furious she became exceedingly 
alarmed, and descended for safety into the cellar, where she 
endeavored to keep herself as easy as possible, until the dan- 
ger was past. This faithful old creature died only a short 



THE FIELD OF WATEKLOO. 327 

time ago, and her solicitude for the poultry has passed into a 
proverb in the village of "Waterloo. 

During the engagement a British artillery officer rode up 
to the Duke of Wellington and said, " Your Grace, I have a 
distinct view of Napoleon, attended by his staff, my guns are 
well pointed in that direction, shall I open fire ?" The Duke 
replied, " Certainly not, I will not allow it ; it is not the busi- 
ness of commanders to fire upon each other." * 

Some years after the battle, several cargoes of bones were 
collected from the field, transported to the sea-coast, and 
shipped to other countries for manure. 

When the tidings of this great victory reached England, 
thousands of people were impelled to visit the place where it 
had been so dearly purchased. A trip to Waterloo was then 
considered paramount to every other undertaking. The en- 
thusiasm that animated many of the visitors deserves to be 
noted ; it led one to carry off a brick from the house of La 
Belle Alliance, and another to purchase the door of the said 
mansion for two gold Napoleons. Crosses of the Legion of 
Honor were in great request, and even those of an ordinary 
description commanded eight dollars apiece. The peasants 
gathered the spoils, and sold them at very high prices. 
Visitors to Hougomont bought peaches, and sought for hazel- 
nuts and filberts in the garden, with the pious purpose of 
planting them when they returned to England, that the trees 
springing from them, might remind them and their posterity 
of this remarkable spot. De Coster, the guide, for a long 

* Part of the facts stated in this chapter, I derive from the works 
of Cotton and Simpson. 



328 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO, 

time was overwhelmed with visitors, who came to hear his 
simple story, and he was obliged to abandon his ordinary oc- 
cupations for some time to attend to them. This was the 
guide that Sir Walter Scott saw when he visited this memo- 
rable field. De Coster is no longer numbered among the 
living. Scott went upon the ground accompanied by a party 
of friends ; but he soon left them, and rode off to survey the 
scene alone, and commune with his own thoughts. 

On the first of October, 1821, the Duke of Wellington 
visited the field with George IV., and in 1835 he visited and 
rode over it with his old war-horse "Copenhagen." 

The motto upon the coat-of-arms of the duke is too sig- 
nificant for omission — it reads thus : Vertutis Fortuna 
comes — Fortune is the Companion of Virtue. 

The honors and emoluments awarded to Wellington, 
both by his own and other Governments, for his military suc- 
cesses on the continent, have scarcely a parallel in ancient or 
modern history. They would require a volume to be even 
briefly enumerated. The principal pecuniary grants are as 
follows : — 

Dec'r 7, 1812— A grant from Parliament of $ 500,000 
June 24, 1814— Do. do. 2,000,000 

July 6, 1815— Do. do. 1,000,000 

Blucher appears to have been a bold, indefatigable, and 
impetuous old soldier, without science or education. When 
at Oxford, in 1814, with the Emperors and Kings, the Prince 
Regent, and the Duke of Wellington, he received an intima- 
tion that the heads of the University intended to confer upon 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 329 

him the dignity of a Doctor. Blucher, who never dreamed 
of becoming one of the learned, could not refrain from 
laughter, and jocularly remarked, " Well, if I am to be a 
Doctor, they cannot do less than to make Gneisenau (the 
chief of his staff) an apothecary, for we both work together ; 
and it is he who has to make the pills which I am in the 
habit of administering." Blucher did not long survive the 
close of the war — he died in 1819, at Krilowitz, at the 
advanced age of 77. 

The evening of the French retreat from the field of 
Waterloo was bright moonlight, and the task of following up 
the victory devolved entirely upon the Prussians, who re- 
mained all night in the saddle, and improved eveiy opportu- 
nity to complete the final overthrow of the vanquished 
Napoleon. At Genappe they took his carriage : he had just 
left it to mount on horseback, and in his hurry had forgotten 
his sword and hat. 

I arrived on this memorable field about sunset. The 
moon soon appeared, and invested the heavens and the plains 
with fresh interest. The appearance of both forcibly called 
to remembrance a moonlight view of Waterloo, which I had 
the pleasure of beholding when a boy, at an exhibition in 
Euterpian Hall, New- York. Years had rolled away since 
fhat sight, but memory recollected all the features of the 
picture the moment the eye rested upon the original. 

I was not long upon the ground before I heard the voices 

of some foot-travellers, who proved to be fellow-countrymen, 

hurriedly passing over it, having a rustic guide with them. 

I hailed them, and inquired if they did not intend to devote 

14* 



330 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

more time to its examination : they answered " No, because 
they were in haste and had no other time to spare." 

After remaining a good season upon the ground, I be- 
came weary and lonesome, and directed my steps to a small 
inn to pass the night. I lay down to sleep, but could not : 
the thoughts of Waterloo had murdered sleep. My mind all 
night was troubled with the vision of the battle. Every now 
and then I arose and looked out of the window, upon the 
green field and moonlit sky ; but every thing was silent, save 
the occasional tolling of a bell in a distant town, the rumbling 
sound of diligences hastening to the French frontier, or the 
rustling leaves of trees along the roadside. „ 

At a very early hour I sallied out with the guide to sur- 
vey the ground of Waterloo. The morning was at first 
cloudy, but gradually brightened up, and at noon the sun 
opened his dazzling eye upon us. I first passed entirely over 
the British position, and then examined the position of the 
French. Wellington was more familiar with the country than 
Napoleon, and, as he arrived first upon the field, possessed 
himself of the strongest and best portion of it : hence he had 
farm-houses, orchards, trees, bushes, and walls, for entrench- 
ment and support. The French had nothing of the kind, 
and could make no impression upon the British, until they 
were dislodged from their strongholds, which, from the com- 
mencement, proved regular stumbling-blocks to Napoleon. 
It appeared to me that if the field had been completely clear 
the fight would have been fair, and the French successful. 
The British, deprived of their works of defence, would have 
faltered and given way long before the arrival of Blucher. 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 331 

I was shown a narrow defile which descended behind a 
row of trees, where 150 French cuirassiers, who had been 
repulsed from an attack upon a park of artillery, had rushed 
to effect an escape, but were arrested midway in their course, 
by a barricade of logs, and destroyed in detail by the British 
guards. 

Napoleon, at the commencement of the action, occupied 
a position quite remote from the columns of attack, but as 
the combat heightened he approached nearer, and nearer, 
until at last, his charger carried him as near as twice the 
width of one of the new avenues of New- York from the line 
of Wellington. 

In the chapel of Hougomont I noticed the wooden figure 
of the Saviour on the cross suspended over the door ; the toes 
and part of the feet of which were burned off. I cannot 
describe the singular effect this sight produced. During the 
engagement the barn of the chateau and this chapel were 
put in conflagration from bombs, The fire destroyed every 
thing combustible, but spared the body of the Saviour's 
image, after burning its toes. 

After this battle, for thirty miles around the country, 
wounded and straggling soldiers were seen wandering about 
in the utmost consternation and distress. 

As soon as tidings of the tragedy of Waterloo reached 
Brussels, the clergy and medical faculty hastened in a body 
to minister succor and consolation to the sufferers on the field. 
The noble example of Brussels was quickly followed by other 
cities, and in a short time the extraordinary demands of the 
occasion were abundantly supplied. 



332 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

It is interesting at this time to read over Marshal 
Grouchy's account of his movements in this never-to-be-for- 
gotten campaign. It is addressed to the Emperor, dated at 
Dinant, June 20, 1815, and is about as formal and precise as 
the report of a civil engineer to the president of a railroad 
company. The communication of Marshal Ney is of a dif- 
ferent description, and in keeping with his character, breathes 
a spirit as bold and as vehement, as the last charge of the 
Old Guard. 

Grouchy upon the loss of the battle fled to the United 
States, where he resided for several years, and was a part of 
the time the guest of General Brown, to wJiom he explained 
at length his entire operations, instructions, and plans, with a 
justification of his conduct in not combining his forces with 
those of Napoleon on the day of action at Waterloo. 

After mature study of the man, and carefully listening to 
his explanations, General Brown came to the conclusion that 
Grouchy was no traitor, but that he was in the first place, 
unfortunate, and in the second, he was not a first-rate general. 
The portrait of Grouchy at Versailles confirms, in my opinion, 
this view. In 1847 this unfortunate marshal died, and when 
his death was announced in the Chamber of Deputies, the 
announcement was received in perfect silence. 

As I stood in the hollow before the farm of La Belle 
Alliance, where Napoleon descended and formed his Old 
Guard for their last charge, and considered the high and for- 
midable character of the British front, crested with men and 
guns, I felt both surprised and sorry that he ever should have 
ventured so much on a single throw. The undertaking 



THE FIELD OF WATEELOO. 833 

seemed to me the very climax of recklessness, and it was 
commenced at the veiy moment when Blucher's artillery 
was blazing away on his right. I expressed my astonishment 
to a military friend, who answered, that Bonaparte had 
done the same thing before in other battles with success, and 
that in this instance he had ventured, with his usual confi- 
dence, to repeat the experiment. 

As he pointed to the eminence of attack, he told his 
guards that yonder was the road to honor ; they advanced, 
but perished in the way. The Old Guard died at Waterloo ; 
Napoleon, at St. Helena. 

The field of Waterloo may be truly called an Aceldama. 
In walking over it by moonlight, I thought of the vision of 
" Death on the Pale Horse." Never before did war appear 
to me so full of horrors. From the sad and melancholy im- 
pressions incident to the place, I was glad for a moment to 
seek relief by reflecting upon the blessings of universal peace ; 
and in this connection, remembered with pleasure the lan- 
guage of Bancroft, the historian, delivered in England a few 
years ago, at the banquet of the Royal Agricultural Associa- 
tion : " Gentlemen," said he, " I rejoice that we live in an age, 
when of all the trees that are planted in the ground, the 
husbandman of all lands invokes the choicest blessings of 
Providence on the tree of Peace (cheers), praying that its 
roots may strike to the very centre of the earth, and that it 
may be so firmly rooted, that its boughs may rustle in the 
breeze of the stormiest revolutions." (Loud and reiterated 
cheers.) 

British historians dwell with much stress on the fact, that 



334 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

the flower of the army of Wellington was engaged in the 
expedition to New Orleans, and contributed nothing to the 
glory of the day. And the duke himself, in his extremity, 
is reported to have said, " Oh, that I had those men with me 
here ! I could do any thing with that army." 

If these troops had been as unfortunate at Waterloo 
as at New Orleans, they might as well have been any where 
else. 

Besides other grants and honors, the Government of Bel- 
gium ceded to Wellington a part of the forest of Soignes. 
Some of his countrymen have expressed the opinion that it 
would have been much better if that Government had given 
him a title-deed to the battle-field itself. 

The general aspect of the field has not undergone any 
very material change since the date of the great action 
fought upon it. The area it occupies is very extensive, and 
entirely unenclosed, but nevertheless under excellent and 
productive cultivation. 

In looking at the ploughmen as they turned up the rich 
soil with its mouldering bones, I felt the force of the beautiful 
passage of the latter part of the first book of the Georgics of 
Virgil : 

Scilicet et tempus veniet, cum finibus illis 
Agricola, incurvo terrain molitus aratro, 
Exesa inveniet scabra rubigine pila ; 
Aut gravibus rastris galeas pulsabit inanes, 
Grandiaque effossis mirabitur ossa sepulcris. 

" For also the time shall come, when, in those boundaries, the 
farmer tilling the earth with the crooked plough, shall find darts cor- 
roded by consuming rust, or shall strike empty helmets with heavy 
harrows, and shall admire the large bones from the excavated tombs." 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 335 

The principal monument upon the ground is a high 
pyramid of earth, with a Belgic lion upon its summit, carved 
in stone, with his right paw playing with a cannon-ball. This 
mound is 140 feet in height, and including the lion and the 
pedestal, 200. The circumference at the base is 1680 feet, 
and its inclination is 24 degrees. A flight of steps leads up 
to the top, where the observer may stand and survey the 
whole prospect to great advantage. This monument was 
reared to mark the spot where the Prince of Orange received 
a wound. It is covered with verdure, and viewed from the 
towers of Brussels presents a very bold and commanding 
appearance. There are several other monuments upon the 
field of considerable interest. The most prominent is that 
erected to the memory of the fallen soldiers of the army of 
Prussia ; it is composed of cast-iron. The next is the stone 
memorial in honor of the dead of the German Legion, and 
the last, is a marble column to Colonel Gordon, a young 
English officer of high promise. 

It was my intention to pass a week upon this vast field in 
study and meditation ; but, after having tarried one day and 
a night, I felt myself too much oppressed to remain any 
longer. My sympathies were entirely with the cause of Na- 
poleon, and in his defeat I felt as if I had lost the battle 
myself; my enthusiasm forsook me, and I could neither eat 
nor think upon the ground. 

Although this great event happened thirty-seven years 
ago, yet even to this hour the subject is so fresh in the 
recollection of the people, that to hear them converse about 
it, one would almost think that the battle occurred yesterday. 



336 THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

Since the overthrow of Napoleon, the grand aim of the 
powers of Europe has been to restore things as they were 
before he changed them. To accomplish this, more than two 
hundred and seventy millions of dollars have been expended 
in fortifications and works of defence, while standing armies 
have been increased and strengthened on every hand. 

In former years the military power of Europe was put 
forth to subdue Napoleon ; it is now employed to subdue the 
people. The gigantic contest against him was fought under 
the promise of freedom ; it was this promise that brought the 
nations into coalition. The battle of Waterloo was fought, 
but the promise of freedom was never redeemed ; the people 
obtained peace, it is true, but no more freedom than they had 
before. 



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It is the aim of the Popular Library to furnish books of 
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us, travel with us, go into the country with us." 

The earl est issues of this series will comprise complete and 
Independent works by the following among other authors— 



ADVERTISEMENTS. 



Thackeray (the author of "Vanity Fair"), the late Robert 
Soothe y, John Forster, Sir Humphrey Davy, John "Wilson 
("Christopher North" of Blackwood), Walter Savage Landor, 
the Writers for the London Times, the leading Quarterly 
Reviews, Leigh Hunt, the late William Hazlitt, the authors 
of the "Rejected Addresses," Barham (author of the "In- 
goldshy Legends"), Sir Francis Head, James Montgomery, (fee, 
&c, comprising generally the most brilliant authors of the 
Nineteenth Century. 

Appletons' Popular Library will be printed uniformly in 
a very elegant and convenient 16mo. form, in volumes of from 
250 to 400 pages each, from new type and on superior paper, 
and will be bound in a novel and attractive style for preserva- 
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The following books, indicating the variety of the series, 
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ESSAYS : A SERIES OF PERSONAL AND HISTORICAL 
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LIFE AND MISCELLANIES OF THEODORE HOOK 

JOHN FORSTER'S LIFE OF GOLDSMITH. 

THE YELLOWPLUSH PAPERS AND OTHER VOLUMES, 
BY WILLIAM M. THACKERAY, AUTHOR OF "VAN- 
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JEREMY TAYLOR; A BIOGRAPHY, BY ROBERT ARIS 
WILLMOTT. 

LEIGH HUNT'S BOOK FOR A CORNER, 

THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS OF JAMES AND 
HORACE SMITH, THE AUTHORS OF THE "RE 
JECTED ADDRESSES." 

THE INGOLDSBY LEGENDS, BY BARHAM. 

LITTLE PEDLINGTON AND THE PFJMJNGTONIANS 
BY JOHN POOLE, AUTHOR OF "PAUL PRY." 
&c, &c, &c 



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